The Ultimate Heist
by ButterflyPages
Summary: Olivia Pope is my name. Stealing art is my game, at least until this last heist is over. I shall retire after 10 years and a record of never getting caught. All will be well when FBI Agent, Fitzgerald Grant, gets off my trail. Or is this the biggest heist of all? AU
1. Collision

**Chapter 1**

**Collision**

If there was one thing Olivia loved, it was hand-to-hand combat. Thanks to Huck's capable tutelage she was skilled at Krav Maga. Those were the eyes she looked into now, Huck's, as they prepared to battle it out in the practice ring. She knew she would sustain a bruise or two, but that came with the territory. Before a heist, Olivia always fought one round with Huck until one of them was defeated. It mattered not who was victorious. The art of the fight, the strategy, was what prepared Olivia mentally for a job. The key was to avoid confrontation. When that was not possible, one must neutralize the threat so as to avoid injury. Quick fights were the best. Huck and Olivia knew each other's weak points since they had fought so many times. This put them on equal footing.

Today was a milestone for Olivia. This would be her final heist. She had been an art thief for 10 years. Now at 32, it was time to stop. She always knew this line of work would not last. It had endured this long because of the stellar team of accomplices she had in Huck, Abby, and her beloved Harrison. He was another reason she was retiring. She had promised him they would get out of the business and settle down, build a real life together before they got caught or injured. Since she and Harrison were moving on, Abby and Huck would take the helm along with their new recruit, Quinn Perkins.

Olivia glanced at Quinn who stood on the outside of the ring looking on eagerly. She was such a little copycat. Olivia could see her mimicking her movements even as she observed. Abby found Quinn through a bogus advertisement for an office manager. The ruse was revealed when she accepted the offer. They had never had to recruit any new talent to Olivia Pope Securities (OPS). Bringing on new people was a risky proposition. They had to stay lean to survive, and survive they had. They were never caught. Olivia's thoughts ceased when she was slammed on her back. Huck smiled over her in triumph as he pinned her. Olivia smiled back.

"You win, Huck." When he moved off her, she placed her thigh flush against her chest and extended her knee forcefully into Huck's abdomen. When he fell back, she straddled him quickly and slammed her forearm against his throat.

"Liv, baby, that doesn't count because he pinned you first," said Harrison as he jumped into the ring. He bent over and lifted Olivia up into his arms, "But my baby still has it. Float like a butterfly. Sting like a bee." His lips touched hers and they kissed indulgently.

"We won't miss that," Abby said, glancing at Quinn, "Be thankful you won't have to be party to the Olivia-Harrison TMI PDAs. Three years is enough for me!"

"You're just jealous, Abby!" Huck screamed from the other end of the large room as he refreshed himself with water.

"Let's meet in the office in an hour to do the final preparations," Olivia said, after pulling away from Harrison.

Harrison wrapped his arms loosely around her waist. "How are you feeling, babe…your last job?"

"Hmm…happy…sad…anxious, but mostly happy because now is our time, Mr. Wright. How are _you_ feeling?" Olivia asked. She rubbed her nose against his.

"I'm happy that the woman I love will finally be out of harm's way. Happy that you won't have anymore fighting matches with Huck or any man for that matter. I don't like you rolling around on the floor with anyone but me."

"Well, now, Mr. Wright, as tempting as that sounds, you know my rule. No sex…" Olivia said before Harrison cut her off.

"No sex within twenty-four hours of a heist…I know. I know."

* * *

An hour later, the OPS crew sat together at the round table in the conference room, staring at their individual laptops as Olivia reviewed the heist using a digital simulation. The animated simulation was also projected on a large screen at the front of the room.

"Tonight, at 0300 hours, I will enter the West Mezzanine of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, taking the underground route to the Greek and Roman Art rooms. I will disable the lock on the glass enclosure of the bronze statue, _Sleeping Eros_. Huck will enter on the East side to set up the rolling conveyer belt device that will transport the statue out of the building. Harrison will enter on the north side, and Abby on the south to keep watch and rearm the security system after the statue has been acquired. Once the statue is inside the vehicle. We will all depart on the soundbikes with the exception of Huck who will transport the statue by bus to the bunker below the office. Any questions?" Olivia asked as she stopped the animation.

Quinn raised her hand slowly, her eyes darting from person-to-person. "What are soundbikes?"

Everyone looked at Quinn with impatience at her inexperience and ignorance. "They are only the most state of the art quiet motor bikes in the world. We need them to extract ourselves from the scene without being detected. We have three of them," Olivia explained.

"You haven't traveled until you've been on a soundbike," said Harrison. "It's like gliding through the air at insane speeds, but with control. Don't worry. You'll get trained on them. For now, you have a very important job to do back here at the office while we are in the field. You will monitor our audio feeds, GPS tracking devices, and voice feeds. Essentially, everything we do will be transported over this feed. We usually debrief later and review the recordings. They help us improve. All you have to do is make sure everything is recording. You should also answer any calls we make in the event someone is in distress." Harrison stood behind Quinn as he explained, resting his hands lightly on her shoulder.

"What about the museum security? I read an article last month in the _Times_ about increased museum security. After that successful heist in Oslo, all the museums are ramping up security." Quinn made eye contact with Olivia as she asked the question.

"They'll just put an extra pot bellied guard at the exits and entrances during business hours. Most of the big museums in the US rely on government funding to survive. With the sequester, the automatic, across the board spending cuts hurt arts funding. They have no money to throw at the supposed threat. OPS is way under the radar of the FBI. They have bigger fish to fry than little ole' me and my team of thugs. So I will go out in a blaze of glory!" Olivia raised her fist in triumph. Everyone clapped.

Quinn joined in, but she was still worried. She kept her uneasiness to herself. She was new to this. OPS had a 10-year track record of never getting caught.

Olivia winked at Harrison. "Harrison, could you make sure the champagne is on ice?"

* * *

Fitz was a little buzzed. He had promised himself he wasn't going to drink tonight because he wanted to remember every minute of this celebration. Drinking was not conducive to remembering. Tonight was the last time he would be known as Special Agent Fitzgerald T. Grant. FBI Director, Cyrus Beene had appointed to him to Deputy Director.

He looked around the room and his eyes met Mellie's. She was engrossed in deep conversation with Cyrus' wife. When she saw him, she winked and waved before turning back to her conversation. She was probably forming alliances she could use later when they were married. That was Mellie, always planning and positioning. For the first time in a while, Fitz didn't feel guilty when it came to the state of his relationship with Mellie. They had lived together for five years. For each of those five years, she wanted to get married. She didn't ask him, of course, but he knew. She was a brilliant woman and very successful in her own right as a criminal prosecutor. They were good together. She knew what he needed and how to take care of him. She was very loyal.

Six months ago, he finally accepted the inevitable. He proposed and she accepted. She had squeezed his arm, gave him a peck on the cheek, and started planning the wedding with military precision. They had 6 more months go before D-Day.

Fitz grabbed for another drink. When he placed the glass to his lips, Cyrus appeared and snatched the tumbler from his hand.

"Fitz, come with me." Cyrus said.

Fitz could tell that Cyrus had some important information to share so he followed without question. He had that laser focused look on his face, and he didn't bother with any of the pleasantries. They left the foyer where Fitz's celebration was taking place and moved to the conference room.

"Cyrus, I feel a little philosophical on the occasion of my transition. It is bittersweet. I'll miss chasing thieves, criminals, thugs, and rogues. What I'll miss more than ever is bringing them to justice."

"You will still bring justice, but now your decisions will affect all the departments. This is not a horizontal move, but a vertical one. All the cards are in your favor with the exception of one. Do you remember Sanders Black?" Cyrus asked scratching his head.

"Yes, my old partner in the Art Theft division."

"He has taken a leave of absence for personal reasons effective immediately…keep it to yourself but, his wife left him…so, my friend, you will have to go into the field tonight in his place."

"What is the job? Why wouldn't there be a contingency plan like there always is for agents who might get sick, get killed…why do you need me for this?"

"We have it on good authority that OPS plans to rob The Met tonight. We've been preparing for this for months," said Cyrus.

"What is the ring leader's name again? Isn't it a woman? Vivian Something?" Fitz asked.

"Olivia Pope. Review this file. It is comprehensive on her and her team. We think they just hired a new recruit. She has escaped capture for almost a decade. That's ten years and tens of millions of dollars that she has cost us. We need her Fitz. I know you can get her. We don't care about the team…only her."

Fitz took the file. "Okay, Cy. I guess I need to leave. I'll be looking forward to the briefing call. I'm going to leave you to tell Mellie. She looks to be having too much fun to leave now."

"I can handle the future Mrs. Grant. Just be careful. Olivia and her team are like wolves. They know how to hunt and fight. They'll do just about anything." Cyrus said.

"Fitz threw up his hand and left the conference room. Everyone was having a great time. He had one more night to be an agent in the field. He was confident it would be another standard stakeout and criminal acquisition.

* * *

"It is tight as hell until the zipper is fully closed and the fabric gives according to your body shape. Pull harder Quinn. You don't have to wear this since you aren't going out, besides you have to be totally naked underneath for it to work," Abby said to Quinn as they dressed for the job.

"I know, but I want the full experience. At least I will learn how this suit works. Who's idea was it to wear this second skin bodysuit?" Quinn's zipper finally closed shut. Her body adjusted and she felt totally enclosed and protected.

"Abby, I love it! I feel naked and skinny! Everything is held in perfectly. Look at my profile!" Quinn looked at herself in mirror and turned around admiring profile.

"It was Olivia's idea, of course."

"How do you feel about Olivia and Harrison leaving?" Quinn asked.

"I'm happy for them. They deserve a real chance to be together. Being an art thief is not a long term career option." Abby repeated this, hoping it would be the truth if she said it enough.

"They seem to adore each other," Quinn said. Abby did not respond.

* * *

Fitz was already out of bed and dressed when his alarm buzzed. He had forgotten to disable it so he wouldn't wake Mellie. He was eager to get moving especially after reviewing the file and learning more about Olivia Pope. He knew of her and her many exploits, but he hadn't had to keep up with her over the years since he had been assigned to another division. He recalled some the information he read last night.

Olivia Pope, 32 years old. Krav Maga expert.

Bachelor of Arts in Art History, American University of Rome

Parents: Lionel & Charlise Pope (Deceased)

Sibling(s): Timothy Pope

"I can't believe Cyrus is doing this to you." Mellie walked up behind Fitz and slid her hands around his waist. "Why couldn't some agent lower on the food chain take this job?"

"This suspect is highly valuable to the agency. I count it an honor that they would ask me to lead out tonight," he said turning into her embrace, "You should be in the bed. It's one in the morning."

"I want to see you off, and your alarm woke me. You be careful, and come back to me," Mellie said before she gave him another hug.

* * *

It was a cool May evening, and things were going according to plan for OPS until the FBI showed up. The OPS team had infiltrated the building. Unfortunately, the FBI's team was moving in behind them. Inside room 150, Olivia carefully entered the code to unlock the glass enclosure that housed _Sleeping Eros_. The room held a soft yellow glow created by the break away lights Olivia had brought with her for visibility. Without them the room would be entirely dark.

Once the code was entered, the thick glass cube ascended. Olivia heard the whoosh of the compression being released. She only had a couple of minutes to slide the conveyor belt's lever under the statue to slide the 3 foot long, 100 pound statue effortlessly from the room to the East Mezzanine. When she began sliding the levers, she heard a voice behind her.

"Don't move, FBI!"

Her body froze, and her heart began to beat out of control with fear, fear of being caught. This was the second time today she was taken by surprise, first by Huck and now by the agent standing behind her. She squeezed her eyes shut to calm her breathing. In the space of 3 seconds she readied herself for the fight.

She bent her knees and swung her leg around, knowing that the surprise attack would fell the man behind her like a tree cut off at the stump.

When he went down, Olivia straddled his waist and slammed her forearm against his neck. She heard him choking so she pressed harder, hoping he would pass out. His arms thrashed as if he were trying to reach for something. Olivia pushed harder, leaning over to increase the force. Her face was inches from his so she wasn't able to see his entire face. His complexion was turning red and a ringlet of his thick wavy hair was stuck to the beads of sweat on his temple. His hips thrashed under hers, but Olivia pressed down, undaunted.

Fitz was fighting for breath. He couldn't believe how strong this slightly built woman was and the skill she used to subdue him. She wore a black body suit that fit her like a second skin. He knew because his eyes had trailed over her body when he'd entered the room and found her. Fitz knew that his perusal of her body had taken longer than necessary, but he couldn't help himself. Now that body was on top of him.

His hand found a railing that was attached along the bottom of the wall. Using it as leverage, he pulled his body forward. The momentum broke her arm hold on his neck. Fitz began coughing uncontrollably from the strain she had placed on his neck. He stumbled to the opposite side of the room, keeping his eyes trained on her.

Olivia gave an inward curse as she flew off his chest. She rose to her feet and ran towards him trying to gain the advantage while he was coughing.

Fitz saw her run towards him and he remembered her expertise in Krav Maga. He had only taken a couple of classes but he readied himself. She swung at him, but he threw up a hand to block her blow. They ducked and dodged each other's hands and arms for awhile. The room was eerily quiet except for the sounds of exertion as they fought.

Olivia's eyes darted around the room trying to find something she could use to her advantage against him.

"Olivia Pope, you are caught. I have twenty-five agents at the perimeter. Stop resisting," Fitz said between breaths.

"Never." Olivia bent low and ran towards him aiming for his abdomen. They both fell to the floor and began to scuffle. She bent her knees and pushed towards his chest. He pressed down on her legs forcing them apart until he rested between her legs. He grabbed her wrists and placed them above her head. Their faces were only inches apart as they both struggled for breath. Olivia shifted her hips and widened her eyes in surprise as she felt his hardness between her legs. _This bastard is aroused._

Olivia made a mental calculation. This was her only chance to escape. She moved her hips against his erection, knowing that her body suit was durable but thin enough to have the desired effect.

"What the hell are you doing?" Fitz asked.

"There is no sense in letting that go to waste," she said opening her legs wider. When she heard a little moan slip through his lips, she thrust her hips upward.

"I…think you better stop..th-that," Fitz breathed out softly against her lips. Olivia couldn't stop because she was really enjoying the sensations that coursed through her as she rubbed against him. Their gaze never broke. "Make me," she whispered.

Unable to stop himself, he ground his hips into hers. Neither knew who kissed the other first if what they did could be called kissing. He let go of her hands and gripped her face as he pressed his lips into hers, mouth opened wide, tongue sinking deep. Olivia felt as if she were dizzy. It was all she could do to hold on. They bruised each other's lips as they seemingly tried to devour the others.

Olivia reached for his belt, forgetting all about her plan to use his desire as leverage against him. Her own arousal worked against her. She needed to feel him inside her just as much as he needed to be there.

"How do I open this thing?" he asked roughly wanting to tear the body suit off, but unable to find a seam.

"There's a zipper on the side…wait...I'll…" His kiss covered her explanation. His hands searched over her body until he felt the little piece of metal.

"Slow…" Olivia whispered knowing a hasty move could cause the zipper to catch her skin.

The material gave way. The chill of the room made goose bumps appear on her skin.

"Wow," Fitz whispered when he realized she was naked under the suit. He wanted to see all of her, kiss all of her, but his body would not cooperate. She would not cooperate because she reached for him, placing him between her legs.

"Now, please," she pleaded.

He reached down and felt her abundance of wetness and knew she was ready. He grabbed both of her wrists with one hand and placed them above her head. With the other arm he placed her thigh in the bend of his elbow and entered her swiftly. They both gasped and their bodies buckled from the pleasure. Then he began to stroke in and out of her slowly until their desire uncoiled and the rhythm increased.

There was no heist. She was not a suspect. He was not an agent. They were a man and a woman whose sole purpose at that moment was to be filled and to fill each other. Were it not for the sound proof walls anyone on that side of the museum would have heard their cries of passion.

"Agent Grant, what's your location?" said the voice on the listening device snapped to the waistband of Fitz's pants.

The voice broke them out of their reverie. Olivia made a move to slide from under him but he held her still.

"I've swept the room, but I don't see anyone. Do you see any of the other suspects?" Fitz asked.

"No. They are all gone, but the truck that we assume was used for transporting the stolen goods is still here."

"Okay. I'm coming out soon."

When Fitz finished speaking, they stared at each other. He lowered his lips to hers and they kissed slowly and leisurely. When Olivia felt him getting hard again, she pulled her face away.

"We have to stop this. Help me with my zipper." Olivia pulled the fabric together.

"I have a handkerchief. Do you want to clean up?"

"No…I…I need to get out of here. Hurry!" Olivia felt a little queasy as she realized what she had just done. Once he had her zipped, she rolled over and used the railing to stand. They dressed quietly.

Olivia took the chance to get away when she saw his chin pressed to his chest as he buckled his belt. She tiptoed to the door and then sprinted out of the room, running for her life in more ways than one.

* * *

**Dear Readers,**

**My favorite part of this story is Liv's brother, Timothy. I am looking forward to him. Thanks for reading and in some cases re-reading. I may end it before I get to Casper (for those of you who remember him). **

**Until TCSBWA**

**~BP**

**Note: The avatar of this story is a picture of the sculpture Olivia was trying to steal, Sleeping Eros. You can google "Sleeping Eros MET" to see the full sculpture.**


	2. Unquenchable

**Chapter 2**

**Unquenchable**

* * *

"What the hell happened tonight?" Harrison's voice reverberated through the room. He paced back and forth in front of the round table during the debriefing. "How did a twenty minute heist double in time…and we still didn't get the sculpture? What in the hell went wrong!"

Quinn glanced at Olivia who avoided her gaze.

"It was my fault, Harrison. Please stop screaming at them." Olivia said.

When she had finally made it through the tunnel and out of the building, Harrison had been there waiting for her, beside himself with worry. She hadn't been able to face him for fear he would see the scarlet letter on her chest. She got on her bike and rode to the office as fast as she could, not looking back. As she glided through the streets, her mind replayed every part of her interaction with that agent. She remembered every sound, ever smell, that delicious sensation of complete fullness when he first entered her. Olivia couldn't catch her breath until she remembered that it had all been caught on tape.

She had sprinted inside the office and into the viewing room once her sound bike was stowed. Quinn sat at the table with an unreadable expression on her face. The monitor showed an empty room except for the bronze statue of the cherub Eros sleeping on the stone. The glass was still raised up.

"Olivia, what are you…where are the others?" Quinn said.

Olivia shut and locked the door. She walked to the device and pulled up a chair. "Did you see it, Quinn?"

"The entire heist? Yes, every feed came through…um…fine."

Olivia pressed rewind and pushed play. She fast-forwarded through each screen until she saw the agent enter the room while she keyed in the entry code to the glass enclosure. He stood there and watched her for about 2 minutes.

"I didn't know he was behind me that long," Olivia said.

She and Quinn both watched the scene replay on the screen. It was all there fully visible and audible.

"Do-Do you know him?"

Olivia pressed stop and quickly ejected the tape. "I'm taking this."

"But what about the debriefing? You all were expecting to view the footage. Isn't that what you always do? Huck hacks into the security cameras, records the heist, and then erases it from the museum's surveillance."

"Fuck!" Olivia said. She had their recording, but the video was still on the museum's feed. Huck usually erased it from the facilities' system directly after the heist. In order to erase it, he would have to see it. Olivia stood frozen in the middle of the floor thinking of ways she could get the video erased on her own. When she came up short, she crouched to the floor feeling defeated. The musky and sweaty smell of sex filled her nostrils. The image of the agent's face looking down at her replayed in her brain. She jumped back to her feet.

"You need to forget what you saw tonight. When Harrison asks you for the tape, give him this blank one, but don't say anything. As far as you know, it was recording. When it is shown during the debriefing, and comes up blank, look shocked and scared. Cry if you have to. Everyone will be angry, but they will believe it to be a dumb, rookie mistake. Let me handle it from there. I'm sorry to put you through this, but I…they can't see this tape." Olivia pulled out an empty tape and inserted it into the recorder.

"Olivia, I'll do whatever you want. Do you know him?" Quinn asked again.

Olivia turned to leave without answering. She knew his name and how it felt when he entered her, but that was all.

"I took the liberty of cross-referencing his name-I heard it on the tape-in Huck's Pandora database. There were many Grants, but I found only one who had worked in the Art Theft division. His name is Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III and he has just been appointed as Deputy Director of the FBI. But you probably already know that," Quinn said.

"Yes, I know." Olivia lied before she left of the room.

Now, here she sat at the round table with everyone as Harrison reamed out the crew.

"No, Liv, it's not your fault. You are an expert. Let's watch the damn tape." Harrison pressed play. When the static screen appeared, he fast-forwarded, but there was only more static. "What the hell? Quinn, did you record it?"

Quinn and Olivia exchanged a quick glance before Quinn rose to her feet and frantically grabbed the remote from Harrison.

"Yes, it's recorded. Let me see that," Quinn said playing dumb masterfully as she searched through the tape. "Oh my god, I must have neglected to press record. I'm sooooo sorry." Quinn dropped her head.

"You idiot! How dumb can you be? Abby, I thought you said she was brilliant! This is more than a dumb mistake! It borders on negligence…" Harrison said.

Abby looked from Olivia to Quinn. Something wasn't making sense to her. Olivia looked guilty of something. Quinn was obviously playing a role. Her act didn't look authentic. The whole thing made Abby suspicious that there was more to this situation.

"Harrison, calm down. We don't have the tape, so what? Huck can show us the original feed that he copied from the museum surveillance. Can't you Huck?" Abby said.

"Yes, of course…" Huck said.

"No! There's no need for that. I take the blame for this. One of the agents surprised me while I was loading the statue. We fought for a while, and when I got the chance I escaped. That's why it took so long. That's the end of it, Harrison. It's been a long day. Let's just call it a night. I'm sorry everyone," Olivia rose from her chair and left the room. She sprinted to the viewing room and texted Huck a message.

**OP: I need to see you NOW in the viewing room. ALONE! Make sure Harrison leaves.**

Olivia waited for his response.

**HUCK: OK.**

Olivia exhaled and waited.

* * *

Three days passed like lighting for Fitz. He was on a quest to find out everything he could about Olivia Pope. His ultimate goal was to find a way to contact her, which was proving to be very difficult. He knew she was excellent at hiding with her record of never being caught. When she left that night, he had tried to run after her. Unfortunately his pants had fallen down around his ankles. He chuckled now as he remembered. That was all he had done for the last three days, remember, and remember, and remember her scent, her voice, the softness of her skin, the heat and tightness he felt when he slid inside her that first time. Just thinking of it now made him solid as a rock. He bowed his head and rested it against his folded hands trying to calm his breathing.

"Fitz, are you okay? Honey, I think you need to see a doctor. You have to be coming down with something. You haven't eaten much or slept these last three days. Don't beat yourself up over not catching that thief. At least they didn't get the sculpture," Mellie said. She walked over to him and embraced him from behind where he sat at the breakfast table. "Cheer up! We have an appointment with the baker today for a taste test of the wedding and groom's cakes. I know how much you love cake. Our appointment is at two. You should have taken today off like I did. I won't be called into court and miss this appointment so you better not either, honey. "I'm off to Becca's house. She is helping me decide on flowers. I'll see you at two."

"Ok," Fitz said. She kissed him on the cheek and left.

Fitz pulled the rectangular slip of fabric from his front pocket. He smelled it and then turned it back and forth through his fingers. When he'd bent over to pull up his pants, he'd noticed it on the floor that night. It was his only link to Olivia, the tag from her body suit. He'd probably pulled it off when searching for the zipper. He hoped it would lead him to her. The tag showed the name of the manufacturer, Albion Designs. The address was in Rome. He had contacted the company and told them of his investigation. An official there had asked for the Lot number on the tag to match with a shipment. Fitz hoped the suit's shipping address to would lead him to Olivia. If not, he would use the credit card information to track her down. For the last two days, he had been expecting a call with the information. Every time he heard his cell phone ring, he would stop whatever he was doing to catch it.

He rinsed his dishes and loaded them into the washer. His phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Grant, this is Giuseppe Adamo," the voice said in a thick Italian accent. "We have the shipping address, phone number, and credit card information for the suits as you requested."

Fitz grabbed a pen and paper. "Go ahead, please." He jotted down the information. "Thank you. I'll be in touch if I need further information. The United States government thanks you too. Please don't share this conversation with anyone. It is of prime importance that we keep this a secret."

"Yes, Mr. Grant."

Fitz hung up the phone and rushed into his office to find Olivia Pope. He didn't want the information to bring her to justice. He wanted it to bring her back to him.

* * *

"Liv are you sure you're okay? You haven't eaten much or slept in the last three days. I've never seen you like this. Is it the failed heist?" Harrison said. He stepped out of the shower. She was standing there beside him like a statue. He took her towel and began drying her body. She looked at him with a forced smile that didn't reach her tortured eyes. He kneeled before her drying her legs, thighs, abdomen and chest until he stood upright, before her.

Olivia was scared. She felt guilty about what she had done. Since then, when she made love to Harrison, someone else was in the room with them each time. Agent Grant appeared every time she closed her eyes. _I think I am going crazy. Maybe I'm not ready to retire._

Olivia leaned in to kiss Harrison, but he side-stepped and started drying her back. "You need to get dressed for your errands, and I need to finish packing up this place. We don't have much time before we leave for Rome. There is so much to do this week." Harrison placed the towel around her shoulders and left her standing there.

Olivia was thankful that they were leaving for their trip in a week. She knew the change of scenery would bring her out of this fog she was in. She was thankful that she'd never see Agent Grant again.

* * *

Olivia sauntered down the block to the bank. The sun beat down on her back causing beads of sweat to gather there. She wore a long sundress, a big floppy hat and sunglasses. Her disguise was topped off by a long brown wig that stopped at her shoulder blades. She regretted choosing that wig, wishing instead, that she had chosen the short bob. It was noon and she was almost at the bank to withdraw a large sum of cash. Her phone rang. She hoped it wasn't Abby or Quinn. She had been avoiding them all for the last three days.

She breathed a sigh of relief when an unknown number flashed across her screen. She bet it was Huck because he was the only one who ever called her from a different unknown number.

"Hello?" Olivia said taking refuge from the sun under a tree by a café she passed.

"Hello, Olivia."

Olivia gasped. She recognized the voice on the other end and dropped her phone. She felt something pulling on her dress. A little boy, of no more than 5 or 6 was standing at her side lifting her phone up to her. "You dropped it!"

"Thank you," Olivia said. The little boy rejoined his family.

"Hello?" she said, hoping she was mistaken.

"Did you drop the phone?" he said. Olivia leaned against the tree listening to his voice, which was as smooth as silk. The blare of a taxi's horn brought her back to her senses.

"Who is this?"

"I think you know who this is. You are surprised to hear from me, aren't you? It wasn't difficult to find you, thanks to that body suit."

Olivia didn't understand what he meant. "Okay, you found me. Why aren't the authorities surrounding me right now?" Olivia's eyes catalogued the possible points of capture on the street.

"This is not an official call. I need to see you, Olivia. Where are you?"

"Why? This is probably a trap. I don't have GPS on my phone so you can't track me."

"I can track you, but it would take too long to set up. I am not trying to arrest you. I'll prove it to you. Let's meet in a public place. You choose."

Olivia knew she should hang up the phone, throw it away, and run back to the loft. But she didn't, because she didn't want to. There was something about him that intrigued her, their sexual rendezvous, notwithstanding. She just held the phone. Every part of her wanted to see him again. She couldn't think of a place. She looked at the building behind her and read the sign, _Heavenly Dish Café and Grill._ It was filled with people, mostly at the outside tables. Inside, booths lined the walls and small cocktail tables filled the main aisle.

"Meet me at _Heavenly Dish _on seventh and Main in ten minutes..not a minute longer or I'm gone." Olivia hung up on him. She stationed herself in the alley between the café and pharmacy. She would be able to see him before he saw her. Olivia sat the timer on her phone. She wondered what he wanted. She waited, trying to quell the butterflies in her stomach. Glancing at her phone, she noted that she had 4 minutes to go.

"Nice disguise." Olivia stiffened at his voice behind her.

She turned and saw him saunter towards her in khaki's and a light blue polo shirt. He didn't look like an FBI agent, but a man on a stroll. Her eyes swept over his face. She looked away, but let her eyes linger on his hairy forearms and muscular biceps.

He extended his hand. "Thanks for meeting me, Olivia."

She took his hand and instantly regretted it. Her eyes met his and she was transported back to that room. He was moving in and out of her, and it felt so good. Those moans filled her head. _Damn! This is not good._

She snatched her hand away. "Let's go inside and get this over with." Olivia didn't wait for him to follow. The server sat them a cocktail table.

"Could we have one of those booths in the back, please?" Fitz asked, pointing behind them.

The server shrugged her shoulders. "Sure." Olivia didn't hear the server's small talk as she led them to the back of the café that was pretty deserted. Most people opted for the front or outside tables, taking advantage of the sun.

The server led them to a high booth with a window. Olivia sat down in the middle of the seat. She frowned when he slid in beside her.

"You should sit over there." Olivia pointed across from her.

"We don't want anyone to hear our conversation," he whispered.

"Can I get you something to drink while you review the menus?" the server said.

"Olivia?" Fitz said.

"I'll have water with lemon."

"I'll have the same." He said.

The server smiled and walked away.

"What do you want?"

"I want to talk to you, Olivia."

"About what?"

"I did some research on the sculpture you were trying to steal. Sleeping Eros, the Greek god of love. Why did you want it?" he asked.

"It's worth a lot of money."

"Are you ready to order?" the server asked setting down their water.

"We need some time. How about this? We'll flag you down when we are ready." Fitz smiled at the server who blushed under his gaze.

"Okay."

"You majored in art history at The American University of Rome. Was stealing the art you studied your plan from the beginning?" Olivia took a sip of water before she answered his question.

"No. What do you want? This is not a damn date!"

Fitz took a sip of his water and slid closer to her. He leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "You can call me, Fitz. We are way past a date. I can't get you or that night out of my mind. I needed to know if you felt the same way. I want to see you again."

Olivia held her breath as he breathed the words in her ear. She looked up at him, but then looked away and out of the window.

"Olivia, do you feel the same? Have you thought about me at all since that night?"

She turned and looked at him. "No, not once."

"You are lying. I would bet that you are as wet as I am hard right now. If I am wrong, I will leave you alone."

He pulled on the fabric of her long sundress. They held each other's gaze as he placed his hand under the hem and on the inside of her knee. It rested there until she spread her thighs. He slid his hand up her thigh. When his fingers reached the crotch of her panties, the fabric was very damp. She moved her hips forward and he caressed her through the thin material, which was quickly becoming drenched. Their eyes never broke contact. It was quiet except for her ragged breathing. He pulled aside the wet fabric and slid first one and then two fingers inside her. Olivia bit her bottom lip as her body began to tremble.

"Take my hand and look at me," he said. She gripped his hand as he slowly slid those two fingers in and out of her. Olivia held on for dear life as the mouth of her womanhood quivered and quaked around his fingers. Little moans escaped her mouth, and her eyes drifted shut as she almost reached climax. Fitz pulled his fingers away and her eyes fluttered open just in time for her to see him sliding those two fingers inside his mouth. He pulled them out slowly.

"Delicious, but this isn't enough. Hold up the menu and act natural," he ordered. Olivia didn't understand what was happening until she saw him slide under the table. _How can he fit under there?_ Her heart was racing with desire and the adrenaline that coursed through her. The server could return at anytime.

He pulled down her panties. She moved as far to the edge of the booth as possible. When she felt his tongue circle her, she gasped loudly. She gripped the table with one hand and lifted up the menu with the other. The pleasure of the moment and fear of being exposed fought a battle inside her.

"Are you and your guest ready to order?"

Olivia opened her eyes and gave the server a weak smile. "We are not quite ready. He is-is-is in the bathroom. We…we'll get you when…we are ready."

"Okay, just let me know." The server walked away.

Fitz resumed his sweet torture under the table.

"Stop it! Get back up here."

Fitz stopped and crawled into the seat across from her. He looked intent on finishing what he started.

"You're right. It's too cramped down there. Go to the ladies' room. See if it's empty. Watch for me. I'll be there in 2 minutes."

"Are you out of your mind?" Olivia asked.

"Yes, evidently."

"Can I have my panties back?"

"No, you won't need them."

Olivia slid out of the booth and headed down the hallway. A woman walked out as she walked in. She checked the stalls and confirmed that it was empty. _I'm going to get as far away from this man…after I leave this bathroom. _ She walked into a stall and pulled it shut. Good sense and a healthy does of suspicion was not enough to prevent her from letting in her stall. They both worked on unbuttoning his pants. He picked her up and placed her high against the wall. The railings were just the right height for her to hold on. He dived into her and they finished what was started.

* * *

Fitz threw a $20 bill on the table and led Olivia out of the café. The server shrugged her shoulders as she watched them exit the front door.

They walked down the block as cars and people whizzed by. Olivia turned to face him.

"Unless you plan to turn me in, I don't want to see you again."

He took both of her hands and looked her straight in the eyes.

"I don't know what this is between us, Olivia. I will be in touch soon." He kissed her on the cheek.

She snatched her hands away and dropped her cell phone on the concrete. With the wedge heel of her sandal, she stomped on the cell phone until metal and glass littered the area. Then she turned around and walked away without a look back.


	3. Rules of Engagement

**Chapter 3**

**Rules of Engagement**

* * *

Olivia absentmindedly swiped her finger across the face of her new cell phone. She keyed in her password incorrectly. "Wrong Password. Try again," flashed across the screen accompanied by the alert buzz. It had been three days since she had crushed the other phone under her feet. Minutes after she walked away from him triumphantly, she regretted it. The phone held her calendar, reminders, contacts, photos, and thus, the rest of her errands for the day. It was Huck who had reminded her that she could access her data in the cloud when she had called him from the bank. She told him she lost her phone.

In those 3 days, she thought about the agent constantly, wondering if he was thinking about her or what he had done with her panties. He never gave them back. She didn't want to admit that she checked her new phone more often than not hoping he would call. Then she remembered that he didn't have her new phone number. Olivia thought that if he wanted to find her, he could. That possibility filled her with nervous anticipation.

Olivia faced one of the laptops at the round table and googled him. She pulled up a profile on him from the FBI website and skimmed the information…'16 years in the FBI…Specializing in Art Theft, Financial Crimes, and Internet Crimes ….recently appointed Deputy Director of the FBI.' Olivia clicked on the link to the _Times _Society pages where she found a picture of him with a woman and an engagement announcement from 6 months ago. _He is engaged to a Prosecutor?_ This information angered Olivia breaking the fantasy she had built up in her mind. It was a fantasy built on a shaky foundation. On the one hand, she knew nothing about him. She hated his smug arrogance. On the other hand, she felt drawn to him and didn't know why. It was the classic egg and chicken problem. Was she drawn to him because of the mind blowing sex or was the sex mind blowing because she was drawn to him?

"Bastard! Asshole!" she said aloud, slamming the laptop shut, out of anger. She was mostly angry at herself for thinking about him.

"Who has your panties in a wad, Liv?" Abby said from the doorway. The irony of the statement wasn't lost on Olivia. Someone did literally have her panties and they were probably wadded up in some waste bin or discarded on the street. She was too angry to see the humor in the Abby's words.

"Nobody. It's nothing. Moving and packing is taking a toll on me. So much to do in so little time." Olivia hoped she sounded calm.

"You only have 4 more days. I wish you and Harrison weren't leaving. OPs is not going to be the same without you two. Quinn isn't turning out to be as brilliant as I thought she was … forgetting to push record on the damn tape? Can you believe that?"

"Don't be so hard on her, Abby. It was an honest mistake. Maybe she was overly excited or overwhelmed by the responsibility." Olivia looked around the room avoiding Abby's eyes.

"Did Huck erase the museum's video feed? I'd really like to see that tape," Abby said.

_Why can't she let it go? Why does she keep harping on the tape? _She looked at Abby who had been an excellent partner and colleague. She was fun to be around. There was only one thing that stood between them being close friends: Harrison. When Harrison and Abby started working at OPs, they had been a couple. Within a few short months Olivia and Harrison acted on their attraction to each other. And that was that. No one ever mentioned Harrison's and Abby's relationship again. Olivia wondered how Abby would react it she knew about Olivia's indiscretion with the agent. Olivia pushed the thought out of her mind, assured that no one would ever find out.

"Let's move forward. You lose some and you win some. This was a loss," Olivia said, "I'm leaving for a visit to my parents early in the morning. I need to get ready. I'll see you later, Abby." Olivia walked around Abby and left.

Abby smiled for Olivia's benefit. After she passed by, Abby walked to the laptop and lifted the monitor. She saw, "Fitzgerald Grant" in the search field. Scrolling through the links, she wondered who this was and why Olivia was searching for him. She jotted the name down in her small moleskin journal.

* * *

Fitz was excited about the treasure trove of information he had on Olivia Pope. After she annihilated her cell phone and walked away, he kneeled on the sidewalk and collected the pieces. Upon examination, he discovered that the back was entirely intact. She had only done damage to the screen and case. Fitz took the phone to his colleague, Sanchez, who worked in the Internet Crimes division. At the Bureau, he was famous for retrieving data from any device whether it had been erased or the device destroyed. Within in a day, Sanchez had retrieved her calendar, contacts, notepad, and pictures.

"Honey, how much longer are you going to work? Come to bed." When he heard her voice he switched his screen to a spreadsheet.

"I can't Mel. I promised Cyrus, I'd get this proposal to him by tomorrow." Fitz glanced at Mellie, hoping she'd leave him alone.

"Okay, but don't stay up too late. It's already eleven." Mellie gave him a peck on the lips. She attempted to deepen the kiss, but he turned his head away.

"I have to work on this, Mel."

When she left, Fitz pulled up Olivia's calendar. There were two upcoming events that interested him. The entries for tomorrow and the next day were, "Visit Princeton." The second entry was for the following Monday, "Move to Rome, Bye Bye USA!"

"She's moving to Rome?" Fitz whispered. He clicked the calendar, which revealed flight information for her and Harrison Wright. Fitz copied her ticket information onto another document and made a mental note to cancel it.

He wondered what was in Princeton while he pulled up her Google Maps search history. He couldn't find anything conclusive so he determined he would have to follow her. He wasn't sure where she would be leaving from, but he had the shipping and billing addresses for the body suit shipment. The addresses could be her home and work addresses, but they were far enough to foil his plan of tailing her if he went to the wrong one first. He knew he would have to contact her to initiate the ping on the cell phone tower closest to her location. He'd gotten her new phone number easily. She purchased a new phone using an account with the same cell phone company as her old phone. Tonight he planned to text her. If she texted, back it would install a tracking cipher on her phone, allowing him to track her movements. He had a feeling she would text him back. _Why are you doing this? _ A little voice in his head asked. Fitz pushed the voice out of his mind.

* * *

"Babe, are you asleep?"

Olivia lay in the bed with Harrison resting behind her. She hadn't been able to sleep, and obviously Harrison was restless too.

"No, I'm listening to you breathe," Olivia said. Harrison sat up on the bed and switched on the bedside table lamp bathing the room in soft light. Olivia sat up too and laid in his arms.

"How are you feeling about the move?" he asked.

"Stressed, but okay, why?"

He rubbed her shoulders. "I don't know. You've been…preoccupied these last couple of days…since our last job, you've been in a fog, babe…are you upset about not getting _Sleeping Eros_? I know you've had your heart set on that sculpture for a long time. You haven't been my Liv since then. What's wrong?" Harrison lifted her chin and turned her face towards his just in time to see a tear cascade down her face. The kernels of guilt lodged in her heart grew 10 fold when she heard the genuine love and concern in his voice.

Seeing her tears, he pulled her into his arms. "We can schedule another heist. I'll go in myself."

"No. It's not that. I…" Olivia swiped the tears from her eyes, trying to stop the flow before they escaped. "I need to tell you something. Please hear me out before you say anything. And know that I love you."

Olivia moved out of his arms and stood. She pulled on her robe and began pacing back and forth trying to form the words to explain what had happened that night. "During the heist, I...while I was entering the code…,"

_Should I just say I fucked…had sex with the FBI agent who caught me? I had sex with him again three days later. I'm sorry_. _Nope. _

"Harrison, I was caught off guard by the agent. We fought for a while and…" Harrison's cell phone rang.

"Liv, I'm sorry, but I have to take this. I am expecting a call from one of our contacts in Rome." Olivia nodded. Harrison answered his phone. She took a seat on the small loveseat in their bedroom and laid her head back, exhausted. Her phone chirped alerting her to a new text message. She sat up quickly. Her heartbeat sped up. Harrison had already walked out of the bedroom to take his call.

She took measured steps to her phone where it rested on the table beside her side of the bed. A myriad of conflicting emotions coursed through her body.

_It can't be him. But it might be him. I hope it's him. _

By the time she reached the phone, she was breathing like she'd climbed three flights of stairs. She peered at her phone as if she were looking over a steep cliff.

**Unknown: You are on my mind. Am I on yours?**

_Damn! It's him! _

Olivia squeezed her eyes shut. She turned away from the phone and then turned back. She grabbed it and scampered to the door. She could hear, but not see Harrison. She walked into the bathroom, closed and locked the door, just as a new text came through.

**Unknown: Please text back. **

**Unknown: Please…I'm dying here. **

Olivia couldn't help the little smirk that appeared on her lips.

**Olivia: Leave me alone!**

Fitz lifted his fist in triumph. "Yes!" On his monitor, he watched the tracking cipher initiate and begin the install on her phone.

**Unknown: I can't do that. What are you doing?**

**Olivia: Reading texts from my crazy stalker. You?**

**Unknown: Texting the woman of my dreams. Wishing she was with me now. **

"Ugh. Bastard. Asshole," Olivia whispered.

**Olivia: Shouldn't your fiancé be the woman of your dreams? Six months before your wedding. Time is ticking. Don't think she would approve of you sleeping with the enemy.**

Olivia pressed send forcefully. Mentally patting herself on the back for her witty comeback. She felt victorious when a full minute passed before his response.

**Unknown: She should be. She wouldn't approve. Not sure if there is going to be a wedding in 6 months. That heist was a game changer. **

Olivia's heart dropped at his words even though she didn't believe a word of it.

**Olivia: Still trying to get into my panties. I might steal art for a living, but I live in the real world. You've had enough fun to share with your buddies at the bachelor party. **

**Unknown: I have your panties with me now. Mmm. I can still smell you. When can I see you again? **

**Olivia: I swear, if I see your mug again, I am going to punch you in it, you creep. This is goodbye. **

Olivia powered off her phone and returned to the bedroom. The television was on and Harrison bent over his laptop. He glanced up at her. "Sorry babe, that was Adonis. We will have or own place when we get there. I'm reading some e-mails. I am too excited to sleep. Why don't you tell me what you were trying to say earlier?"

"It's nothing. I was upset about not getting _Sleeping Eros_. It's okay. I'll survive. It's just a sculpture," she said.

She snuggled up to him and watched a rerun of _Martin_. It was one of her favorite episodes when Pam went to the dentist and was hypnotized. Every time she heard a clap she became Martin.

"When you and I started seeing each other, why did everyone act like you and Abby weren't together in the beginning? Why wasn't there anything said about it?" Olivia asked when the episode ended.

Harrison looked up from his laptop. "Whoa, Liv! Where did that question come from? It's been almost four years."

"I was wondering about it."

"I don't know, babe. Abby and I weren't really together. We were just fooling around. As soon as we started working with you, I fell hard for you, as you already know. Did Abby say something?"

"No. She seems awfully sad that you are leaving. Do you think she would agree that you all were just fooling around or would she think you all had a relationship?"

Harrison frowned at Olivia. "I don't know what she thought or thinks, and frankly I don't care. That is ancient history."

"You should get to sleep. You have over an hour drive to New Jersey tomorrow. I wish I could go with you and finally meet your family."

"Why don't you come? Whatever you have to do can wait," Olivia said.

"Nope. I'm afraid it can't, beautiful. Give me a kiss and go to sleep." Olivia complied and slid under the covers.

* * *

Olivia settled back into the driver's seat. It was about a 90-minute drive from her Midtown loft to her parent's home. She only had about 30 more minutes to go, but she needed a pick me up to keep her going. Getting to sleep had proved difficult. She felt herself starting to drift off so she stopped for coffee.

She took a sip of coffee and dialed Huck as she pulled back onto the expressway.

"Hey Huck."

"Liv, do you need me to do something?"

"I am almost at my parent's house. Talk to me. Keep me awake." Olivia yawned.

"Okay," Huck said, but he didn't say anything.

"I almost told Harrison last night...about what really happened during the heist," Olivia said. Huck wasn't much of a talker, but she still loved talking to him. He had a manner about him that comforted her all these years.

"That was not a good idea. Don't tell him," Huck said.

"Why?"

"Harrison is a couple of cards short of a full deck when it comes to you. He couldn't handle it. I don't know who could. I don't know how you could explain what you did. I destroyed the video. It was a one-time thing so just forget it."

"I slept with him again since the heist, Huck. I didn't lose my phone. I destroyed it so he couldn't contact me again. He did…contact me again…last night," Olivia explained feeling her emotional load lighten a little.

"What is his name?" asked Huck.

"Fitzgerald Grant, why?"

"Do you want me to take care of him?" Huck asked nonchalantly.

"No! Huck! No!" Olivia screamed into the phone. "I am going to be in Rome in a few days. I'll never see him again. I needed to talk to someone about this. You are the only one I can talk to."

"You should shut it down."

"I know, Huck. I already have. I'll talk to you later. Thanks."

"Okay. Drive safely." Huck said before disconnecting the line.

Olivia turned down the long drive to her parent's house as she thought about what Huck said. In her rearview mirror, she noticed a black SUV turn in behind her. Tinted windows shielded the driver from her view. She wondered if her parents were expecting company. She parked and stepped out of her car and stretched. She was happy to be home.

The SUV pulled in beside her but from the opposite side so that the driver's side doors were side by side. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach when she looked at the SUV. _No, it better not be him. It can't be._

The door opened as if in slow motion. She saw a brown boat shoe touch the ground and then she saw his face. It was him.

"Can I help you with your bags?" Fitz said.

Olivia didn't think. She balled up her fist and punched him in the face.

* * *

"Hi, Huck! What are you up to?" Quinn said. Everyone else was out but the two of them.

"Fine. You?" he replied, not looking up from the monitor.

"I am great! I was hoping you could help me learn some new things today…like the Soundbikes or the fighting techniques."

"It would be better for you to get on a weight training regimen before you get in the ring with me. Abby can help you with that."

"Okay. How about computer hacking or something?"

"Well, first I would start by reading the buttons on a recorder…like, 'record'," Huck said.

"You know, Huck, you and Abby can kiss my ass! Start a weight-training regimen? Are you trying to call me fat because I am not stick thin like Abby or petite like Olivia? I can pull a trigger!" Quinn walked away in a huff.

Huck regretted his words. He was in a bad mood because Olivia was moving away. "Quinn! I'm sorry! I'll show you how I broke into the museum's feed!" He bellowed after her. She stopped in her tracks, returned to the office, and flashed her biggest smile. Huck sat with her for two hours instructing her in the fundamentals of computer hacking. She took notes on her tablet.

"Thanks, Huck. I want to tell you that I am not an airhead. I did record the heist, but things…I can't tell you what happened, but I did record it."

"I know you did."

"Why did she do it? I mean that was…whew!"

Huck looked sad. "I've known Liv for over ten years. I don't know why she did it."

"Do you have a thing for Olivia? Do you like her or have a crush on her?"

"No. I'm going to tell you something, Quinn? You can't tell anyone. I trust you because you were loyal to her about the tape. Olivia _is_ my family. I met her almost eleven years ago in Rome. We both went to the American University there. She tutored me in Italian which I hated. I didn't want to be there, but my parents made me. We were two out of the ten American students there, but everyone loved Olivia. She treated me like I was her best friend. She made being there bearable. I started doing well in Italian. Over the weeks I did develop a crush on her but it was more a deep admiration than anything else. All that changed when her brother, Timothy, visited. We all went out drinking one night to celebrate his visit. On the way back from the bar, a drunk driver broadsided us. The driver was an American. We were all hurt, but Timothy got the worse of it. He was paralyzed from the neck down. Olivia never forgave herself for it all."

"But the wreck wasn't her fault, right? It was the drunk driver?"

"That's right. Olivia wasn't at fault, but she blamed herself because she had been drinking. We all had. She thought she could have missed the car had she been totally alert, but she was alert. No one blamed her, not even Tim. For the next year, she walked around in a depression. She wasn't the Olivia I knew. She stopped living. I tried everything to cheer her up, but nothing worked until _Sleeping Eros. _I knew that was her favorite sculpture. There was a small replica of it in our school's museum so...I stole it for her."

"You did what?" Quinn sat totally enthralled by the story.

"I broke into the museum and stole it for her. When I took it to her dorm room, she smiled for the first time in a year... until I told her that I took it. She was upset that I put myself in danger. I didn't care because she needed it. She made me explain exactly how I did it and then she made me promise to show her the next night. That is how all this began. Ten years later she is retiring from that life we began together. I'm glad she is getting out and that she will finally have a normal life. I think Harrison will make her happy. He adores her, and I thought she loved him. Now I am skeptical after seeing that tape. Olivia is a very controlled and methodical person. She always thinks before she acts. There is a reason why she is seeing this agent."

"What do you mean "seeing," Huck? This was just a one-time hook up, right? Did she see him again?"

"Yes, she is seeing him. I told her to shut it down, but when I talked to her today, she sounded unsure. This is not good. There is going to be drama when Abby and Harrison get wind of this," Huck said.

"Well it is a good thing she is leaving for Rome in a few days. They will leave this all behind." Quinn said.

"I am not sure about that. When you walked in on me earlier, I was trying to reinstate Olivia's ticket to Rome. It had been cancelled."

"Why would she cancel her flight?"

"She didn't cancel it. I am convinced it was Fitzgerald Grant who did."

"Maybe he is trying to keep her stateside so he can arrest her."

"He's had ample opportunity for an arrest. But he obviously wants more than that, " said Huck.

"Well, let's find out what he wants." Quinn smiled at Huck in challenge.

* * *

"Thank you so much for meeting me here, Mrs. Wright," Mellie said. She opened the door to one of the long list of potential wedding planners she had been interviewing today.

Abby stepped into the living room taking in her surroundings. She was looking for anything pointing back to Olivia. When she caught Olivia cursing at the laptop, she knew something was up. The missing pieces seemed to fan the flames of her curiosity. Abby knew the heist, the tape, and the man, Fitzgerald Grant were linked somehow. Abby did more research and discovered that his fiancé was looking for a wedding planner. She staked out the house and intercepted her two o'clock appointment. She told her that Ms. Rosemont had chosen a planner and was canceling the remaining appointments. Abby had been surprised when the woman believed her so quickly and walked away without a word.

Now, Abby was inside as, "Abigail Wright" pretending to be a wedding planner. She couldn't help living in that little fantasy if even for a moment.

Abby sat with her for an hour trying to pretend like she was interested in this woman's long monologue about what type of wedding she wanted. Abby's ears perked up when the woman began to complain about her fiancé.

"He's been preoccupied lately with a case. He was unsuccessful in capturing this art thief. You may have heard of that attempted heist at The Met some days ago? That was my husband. He wasn't even supposed to be there, but he got called in at the last minute. That type of work should have been for someone lower than him, but they needed a seasoned veteran. It has put some strain on him because it seems like he is working day and night."

"Where is he now? If I might ask?" Abby asked.

"He is out of town on business with the case."

Abby listened to her drone on for another 45 minutes about flowers, seating arrangements, and food. "Ms. Rosemont, you've given me a lot of great information. Do you mind if I look around to get a feel for you and your fiancé in your natural surroundings. I can then share with you what I envision for you two on your special day." Abby displayed her biggest smile.

"By all means. I'll put on a fresh pot of tea for us." Mellie disappeared into the kitchen. Abby began her search for another piece to this puzzle. She searched all of the rooms, but she found nothing. Not knowing exactly what she was looking for, she ventured into what looked like an office. It was his office. His computer was off so she didn't bother turning it on. She was sure it was password protected.

She pulled open desk drawers. A manila file folder caught her eye. It was filled with information about Olivia, a regular FBI file. This wasn't out of the ordinary and didn't provide any information. Under the file was a brown journal. She flipped through the pages. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Olivia's name scrawled on a page. A list was written under it.

1. Cancel her Rome ticket…Who is Harrison?

2. Get her new cell phone #

3. Find address to her house

4. Find address to her office

Abby's discoveries only made her more curious.

"Ugh!" she said, dropping her head in her hands. It was then that she noticed a white, satiny scrap of cloth pushed to the back of the draw. She pulled it out and held up the panties. There were small peach colored bows along the waistband. Abby had a feeling these were Olivia's. She didn't know how she knew, but they were hers. She shoved them in her pocket.

Abby decided she still needed more to go on. Even though she wasn't 100 percent sure, she knew this had something to do with sex. The panties confirmed it. Whatever _it _was, Olivia wasn't going to come out smelling like a rose as usual. She decided she needed to get the tape from that night. Abby guessed that Huck and Quinn knew more than they admitted. Of course, Abby knew that Huck would cut off a limb for Olivia. Quinn was still too new to figure out. Abby decided to break into _The Met_ to get the tape.

She entered the museum at four that afternoon and left at 6 with a tape from that night in hand. Huck erased the electronic feed, but the manual recording was still there archived with the other tapes.

Abby couldn't wait to get home. When she popped the antiquated VHS into her player, she fast forwarded until the room on the tape went dark. She saw Olivia enter the room. Abby sat there and watched for a couple of minutes. She dropped the remote control in complete shock at what it revealed.

"Oh my!" Abby said. A big smile appeared on her face. She watched it a couple of times before dialing Harrison.

* * *

"Olivia, why did you do that? Let me see your hand," Fitz said with concern after Olivia's small fist connected with his face and she grimaced in pain.

"Let me see it," he asked when she doubled over in pain. She let him take her hand, but she wouldn't look at him. He turned her hand palm up and massaged each of her knuckles. He then rubbed circles on her palm with his forefinger. By then Olivia was looking directly at him enjoying the massage. Her hand was aching less and less under his care. The ache had moved from her hand, down her abdomen, and rested between her legs. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. When she felt his tongue lick a circle in her palm, she snatched her hand back, breaking the spell.

"Who lives here, Olivia?"

"I'll ask the questions. Why are _you_ here?" she asked.

"Because you are here," he said smoothly.

Olivia rolled her eyes heavenward and grunted in frustration, "Ugh!"

Olivia felt intense frustration. She wanted to punch him again, but underneath she wanted to drag him into the woods and repeat what they had done a couple of days ago.

"Olivia! What are you doing to this poor man? Why did you punch him?" Charlise asked. She appeared in the doorway and walked down the porch stairs to meet them.

Olivia looked from her mom to Fitz trying to think up an explanation for her actions that would make sense to her mother. While she was thinking, Fitz grasped her sore hand and kissed it.

"I deserved it. She is mad with me," he said.

Charlise looked at the way he kissed her hand and gazed lovingly into her eyes. "You must be Harrison! Olivia said you couldn't make it. It is so nice to finally meet you." Charlise walked to Fitz, arms outstretched and gave him a hug. She was a couple of inches taller than Olivia with wavy black hair and a smooth caramel colored complexion. She wore blue slacks with a white blouse that was printed with butterflies. She smelled like honeysuckle and gingerbread. As Harrison hugged her, Olivia frowned at him from behind her mother's back and mouthed, "Stop it!" Fitz closed his eyes and enjoyed the hug from Olivia's mom. He was surprised because the file on said her parents were deceased. He planned to ask her about that later.

"Mom, he is not…" Olivia tried to clear up the misunderstanding, but Fitz interrupted before she could finish.

"She is upset with me and with good reason. I promised her I was coming, but then I was called away by the office. I had a project to complete and had to renege on my promise. Olivia left home angry with me and I knew I had made a mistake. I packed up my things and followed her here. I want her to know that she is more important to me than my work." Fitz caressed her cheek as he spoke. Olivia didn't know what was happening.

"How romantic. I'm sure Olivia will forgive you now that you are here and are showing her what really matters to you. Don't punch this man again, Olivia! I thought I taught you better than that. I'm Charlise, Olivia's mom. You two get your bags and come in. I'll meet you inside. Your dad and Timothy are still getting ready."

When the front door shut, Olivia grabbed his hand with her none aching one and pulled him over to his SUV. All the windows were tinted and not the least bit transparent so it provided the privacy she needed.

"Get in!" she whispered forcefully. She opened the front passenger door. He opened the driver's side back door and hopped in the back seat. Olivia got in on the other side. She wanted to set him straight face to face. As soon as she shut the door, she realized her mistake. They were in the back seat of the SUV alone and he was looking at her like the cat who caught the canary. _Big mistake. _She reached for the door but not before she heard the click of all four door locks.

"Let me out!"

"I will, but it seems that you want to talk to me, so talk. And stop looking at me like I am the Big Bad Wolf. I'm putting my hands in my pockets," he said waving his hands above his head.

Olivia looked at him and settled back in her seat. "What are you doing here?"

"I am here because you are here. I want to get to know you better, Olivia." He faced her as he spoke, but she looked out the tinted window, which made it appear dark outside. "Can't you at least look at me when I'm talking to you?"

She turned around and faced him.

"How can I make this very plain to you? Leave. Me. Alone! You keep showing up unannounced…calling me…either arrest me or leave me be! I am trying to visit my parents and brother and I don't need you here."

"Your file said your parents were deceased. Why the lie?"

"If types like you think my parents are dead, you can't bother them when you are searching for me," she said. The back seat seemed to shrink with each breath they took. He wore a dark blue polo shirt and jeans. She could see his chest hair peeking out at his collar. The faint scent of his cologne or aftershave tickled her nose. Her eyes fell to his lips, which he licked as if on cue and her brain filled with images of the Heavenly Dish Café and where his tongue had been and what it had done to her. She looked out the window.

"Smart move," he said. "Really it is a genius move because no one seemed to follow up on it. They all think your parents are dead."

"We can't sit in this car all day. Please answer my questions. You are here because I am here, you keep telling me. What do you hope to gain? You want to have sex again? Is that what this is about?"

"I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want to make love to you again. But that is not the only reason why I'm here. You have enchanted me, Olivia Pope. I think about you all the time. I can't sleep. I barely eat. I want all of you," he said scooting closer, but keeping his hands in the pockets.

"That sounds like a personal problem to me, Fitzgerald Grant. Why do you men always do that? You blame the woman you are attracted to for _your _attraction. Maybe you are coming down with something. Don't blame your lust on me. Go work that out with your fiancé! Please leave me alone!"

"I know I am acting like a deranged fool, but I'm not…crazy. I'm really a sensible guy. I was just appointed Deputy Director of the FBI. I am supposed to be getting married in 6 months. After meeting you, all I want to do is talk to Olivia Pope, see Olivia Pope, taste Olivia Pope, touch Olivia Pope, be _inside_ Olivia Pope!"

Each time he said her name, she sank deeper into the rabbit hole. She jumped onto his lap and kissed him, her mouth fully open and her tongue searching for his. Her hands were everywhere at once. She pulled back when she didn't feel his hands. They were still in his pockets. "Take your hands out of your pockets" she said.

They unbuckled each other's jeans. He easily slid his jeans and briefs down around his ankles, but she had a difficult a time doing anything as the sensations of his mouth sucking her nipple and his fingers teasing the swollen, wet folds between her legs gave her pause. When he slid a finger inside she opened her thighs wider increasing the tension of her jeans, making them impossible to push down. He pushed her thighs together and slid the jeans and panties off her body. When she was finally free, she straddled his lap the best she could on the seat. He held on to her knees as she inched down his shaft. They gazed at each other witnessing their expressions go from calm to tortured. Her thigh muscles strained as she balanced above him, but the intense pleasure she felt as she slowly slid down the length of him to the hilt was worth it. She leaned forward and kissed him as she slid herself up, unsheathing him just as slowly as sheathed him. She began to ride him slowly. The rigid and solid rod of his manhood sliding against her soft, hot, wet cavern drove them both mad.

"Liv…I can't."

She increased her movements, leaning her weight against him. His blunt fingernails bit into the flesh of her knees. His hips met her thrust when he exploded inside of her. They sat there for a moment, catching their breaths.

He massaged her thighs.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes." When she unfolded her knees, her muscles ached.

"When you lift off me there will be a mess." He removed his polo and t-shirt. He placed the t-shirt under her and lifted her off him. They cleaned up with his t-shirt.

"That was so…" he began.

"Shh, Fitz. Get dressed so we can get inside before my mom comes looking for us," Olivia said.

"Does that mean I can stay?" he asked.

She ignored him and continued dressing, avoiding his eyes. They dressed in silence. "Where is my bra?"

"I don't know. Where did you last have it?"

"Very funny! I know you have it. Just like you took my panties last time. Are you a cross dresser? What is this fixation with my underwear? They won't fit you!" Olivia said as she continued searching under the front seats and around him. "Okay, keep them." She exited the SUV and looked at herself in the window. Her eyes were red and heavy lidded. Her lips were red. One side of her hair was straight and the other side was frizzy. _I look thoroughly fucked!_

"Where are your keys?" he asked. She threw them at him. He caught them just before they hit him in the face. It was then that she noticed the blue and red bands forming around his eye. He was definitely developing a nice shiner. Olivia smiled at her handy work.

"I am happy you are finally smiling, Olivia."

* * *

Later that night they sat at the dinner table enjoying a meal prepared by Olivia's mother. When they had finally made it inside, Fitz was introduced as 'Harrison' to the rest of Olivia's family, her father, Lionel and her brother, Timothy, who sat in a wheel chair customized for quadriplegics. He was partially paralyzed from the neck down, but he had movement in his hands enough to grasp. After all the introductions, Olivia's mother sent them upstairs insisting that they rest from their drive before dinner. Unfortunately, they had no time to rest, preferring to quench the undeniable thirst they had for each other.

* * *

"We were beginning to think you were a figment of Olivia's imagination, Harrison. This is our first time seeing you in the three years you all have been dating. Where have you been?" Lionel Pope asked staring Fitz down.

"Sir, I don't know what I have been thinking. I want to apologize to you and the whole family. I promise you I will be with Olivia from now on." He took Olivia's hand and kissed it.

"Oh, you two are so sweet together. How did you meet? Olivia never told us," Charlise said.

Olivia had briefed him on the essential details of her life or what her parents thought was her life.

"I hired her to secure a few pieces of art for me at MoMa. We met when the pieces were delivered. It was like Cupid's arrow pierced my heart when I first saw her. We have been inseparable ever since." Fitz smiled at her when he spoke. She felt his hand slide under her skirt and up the inside of her thigh under the table. _Oh no you won't!_

Olivia grabbed his hand and pushed it away.

Dinner went well. Fitz kept noticing the intense looks Timothy was giving him. It was apparent that he didn't care for Fitz.

"Olivia tells me that you are an avid birdwatcher, and that you've even written a book on the subject. She also says that you are a world class electronic chess player," Fitz said trying to engage him in conversation.

"Yes. That's true. Not as exciting as Olivia's art buying, and from the looks of your face, fighting. Why did she give you that black eye?" he said. At that moment, Fitz knew that Timothy knew Olivia's real occupation. If he had the use of his arms, he probably would have put air quotes around "buying."

"Tim, you don't have an artistic bone in your body. Stick with the birds and chess. And how he got the shiner is none of your business." Olivia said throwing a green pea at him. Fitz didn't know if he was more shocked at Olivia for throwing a pea across the dinner table or that her brother caught it in his teeth. They both started to giggle like little kids.

"Olivia! Timothy! Stop that! We have a guest," Lionel said with a booming voice.

"Harrison, you'll have to overlook these two. When they get together their maturity devolves about twenty years." Charlise gave them both a disappointing look, which made them laugh harder.

After dinner, they retired into the family room for coffee and dessert. Olivia and her mom huddled together on the couch, catching up on things. Fitz and Lionel discussed sports and politics while Timothy watched TV. His homecare nurse sat nearby crocheting until he needed assistance.

* * *

Later that night when Fitz was preparing for bed his when cell phone vibrated with a text alert.

**Unknown: Get your ass down here! Outside now!**

**Fitz: Who is this? **

**Unknown: Her brother, Timothy. Outside now.**

Fitz dressed quickly. Olivia was in a deep sleep, a little smile on her lips, which made him smile because he had put it there.

Timothy was outside in the driveway waiting for him. "Let's ride."

Fitz grinned at Timothy as the smooth humming sound of his wheelchair signified that this was their ride.

"So what do you really want with my sister?"

"I love her. I want her. We've been together long enough to prove that," Fitz said, confused about the nature of their meeting.

"Cut the crap, Grant. I know you aren't Harrison Wright." Fitz stopped in his tracks not sure what to do.

"And there it is, that look. I love it! You are afraid aren't you? Most people underestimate me and have since I was rendered a quadriplegic. Soon, I let them know that I am not an invalid. So cut the crap and tell me what you are doing here with my sister."

"I am totally and completely smitten by your sister. You probably know her real line of work. I met her when I was trying to apprehend her during a heist. I didn't capture her because… Ouch!" Fitz screamed. A piece of metal by the footrest of his chair slammed hard into Fitz's shins.

"That's for taking advantage of my sister that first night at The Met."

Fitz bent down to examine his shins. They were beginning to bruise. Between the shiner and his shins, this visit was becoming hazardous to his health.

"Now that we have pulled back the layers, we can get down to brass tax. You say you-how did you put it-are smitten with my sister. What will you do to have her?"

"Anything," Fitz said.

"That's good. Did you know she is supposed to be moving to Rome on Monday with Harrison?"

"Yes, I know, but I canceled her ticket and flagged her passport so that if she does leave I will be notified and she will be held until I arrive."

"How very paternalistic of you. Do you prefer to be called, "Fitz," "Fitzgerald," or something else?"

"Fitz is fine."

"Great! I like the way you think. No need to worry because I've already squashed Rome anyway. Harrison has not been completely honest with Olivia. She thinks they are going to Rome to settle down, but he plans to go into business with a shady character that deals in drugs and guns. He wants them to continue stealing art but under the cartel of a guy by the name of Adonis. Harrison doesn't know it but Adonis is getting ready to cut him loose. So you see Rome is squashed."

"How do you know all of this?" Fitz asked.

"I've been keeping tabs on my sister for years now. It is the only thing that has kept me sane in this damned wheelchair. She has money directly deposited in our bank accounts monthly. That money pays for this house and all the accommodations for my disability. I used some of the money to teach myself the fine are of spying, surveillance, and computer hacking. Olivia's friend Huck introduced me to it after the accident."

"What accident?" Fitz sat down on the ground propped up against a tree.

"The accident that caused the spinal cord injury that put me in this chair. Olivia was driving when a drunk driver careened into the car. She was totally not at fault even though she had had two beers. But she blamed herself and still does. No one could ever convince her otherwise, not the witnesses, the cops…not anyone. I love my sister, but she thinks she can control everything and protect everyone. I have been looking out for her over the years for her own good of course. That's how I know about you and that night during the heist. Olivia just hired a new partner, but she is really working for me. Her name is Quinn. She told me about the heist and what happened. I can't trust Huck, because he would end up telling Olivia everything. I have another question for you…"

Fitz waited.

"How in the hell are you going to be with my sister who is a felon, be Deputy Director of the fuckin' FBI, and get married to a prosecutor in 6 months? You don't have a clue do you? You've just been following her around like a turned out meth head."

"You're right. I am in some serious shit. I do plan to break off the engagement. Maybe I should quit too."

"Fitz, you do what you want, but I would recommend against quitting the FBI. Your ties could help Olivia. Your fiancé, will she go away quietly?"

"I don't think she will make a fuss," Fitz said. Mellie and Cyrus had called him several times today, but he had been too preoccupied to answer.

"Wrong again! You seriously have no clue, man. How did you get that promotion? I took the liberty of doing some research your fiancé. She is a prosecutor for the State of New York and a force to be reckoned with. You need to think about how you are going to get out of this engagement. You will have to be strategic. She will pin your ass to the wall and smile for the camera while doing it." Timothy pushed the lever to advance his wheel chair. Fitz stood and fell into step beside him.

"Timothy, after talking to you, I feel like an idiot. Olivia has been my only focus."

"That's okay. Typical male behavior...typical and unfortunate. All your blood goes south when you see her. My paralysis is a blessing and a curse. My blood can go south and that's it…nothing. It gives me perspective and a lucid picture of things, though."

"You are giving sage advice to me and I'm almost 20 years older than you. What about Olivia? I think she hates me right now," Fitz said.

"No she doesn't hate you. You have her flailing and she doesn't know what to do. Let her think she is in charge and it will be okay. I am tired. You should get some sleep."

"Do you need help?" Fitz asked.

"No, I can manage on my own," Timothy said. He disappeared around the corner.

* * *

Fitz tiptoed back into the bedroom. He stepped out of his clothes. He felt himself stir with arousal because of his proximity to her. Timothy was right. He could feel his blood going south.

Olivia flicked on the light. "Where have you been?"

He looked at her sitting up in the bed. Her breasts were bare, and though she was covered from the waist down, he knew what was underneath. He was fully aroused now at the sight of her.

"Fitz, you might as well tell that thing to stand down. It's not getting any action until you tell me where you were just now!" Olivia covered her breasts with the sheet.

"Your brother summoned me downstairs. He wanted to make sure I was treating you in the manner you deserve, my lady," He bowed at the waist and then joined her in the bed. She encased herself in the sheet preventing access to her body.

"What did you say?"

"I told him I loved you and we were fine. The end."

"Did you tell him that as Harrison or as yourself?"

"As Harrison of course," he said.

"Okay, good. Now bring your friend over here." She lifted up the covers.

"How do you think I should call off my engagement? What could I say to her to soften the blow?"

"Why are you breaking off your engagement?"

"Because it wouldn't be fair for me to marry someone whose name I can't remember half the time. I can't describe the last time I made love to her…where I was…how we did it…if I liked it…I can't remember how her face looks when she climaxes. I could write a dissertation on you, your scent, how you taste, the little hiccupping sounds you make when you come, you have three different types of laughs, you flare your nostrils when you are mad, one of your ears is higher than the other…and I can go on."

He slid closer to her and she did not move away.

"But do you know what the difference is? Most of those things you know about me are related to sex, Fitz, which we have had an inordinate amount of… hot, steamy sex the last two weeks. It doesn't mean a thing. For whatever reason we are masters at screwing each other so don't try to pretend there is anything more to us."

They sat in silence for awhile.

"Answer one question. When we leave here are you going to leave me alone?"

"No."

"I will be honest. I don't want you to. So let's be adult about this thing we have. I want you. You want me. I don't see why we can't work something out. What do they call it? Friends with benefits?" Olivia said. She rose from the bed and grabbed a pen and a pad. "Let's just get to the heart of it. We like to engage in sex together so let's establish some rules of engagement." He watched her as scribble, "Rules of Engagement" across the top of the pad. He wondered if she had forgotten about her upcoming relocation to Rome.

"You look beautiful when you concentrate," he said.

She wrote as she spoke, ignoring him. "These rules will govern the sexual engagement of Fitzgerald T. Grant and Olivia C. Pope. Rule #1 ummm…. I got it. This agreement is only binding if both parties agree to all of the terms."

"We need a rule about frequency. How about no less than twice per day," he said.

Olivia laughed. "Fitz, you are a freak. How about we leave that open ended and say, as many times as both parties are willing and able to engage. So that covers the most and least amount."

"We don't have any expectations of the other aside from those rights embedded in the law. So we can't do anything to the other that is illegal…like violence, or kidnapping, etc. Also, I am off limits during the first 5 days of my menstrual cycle…" she said.

"But I can still see you on those days though. Include that," Fitz said, though he wasn't really paying attention. He was distracted by her. She was naked and lying on her stomach writing feverishly on the pad.

"Add that we reserve the right to renegotiate the rules when it becomes necessary. So how many is that?" he said.

"I'll read them," she said.

_The Rules of Engagement_

_1. This agreement is only binding if both parties agree to all of the terms._

_2. The frequency of sex shall be as many times as both __parties are willing and able to _

_engage._

_3. Parties have no expectations of the other aside from those rights embedded in the _

_laws governing the USA._

_4. No engagement in sex during the first 5 days of the menstrual cycle. Parties can still_

_see each other on those days._

_5. We reserve the right to renegotiate the rules when it becomes necessary._

"Fitz, how do those sound?"

He removed the pad and pen from her hand and tossed it aside. "Whatever you need is fine with me. But I need you right now."


	4. The Cat and the Bag

**Chapter 4**

**The Cat and the Bag**

* * *

"Where's Liv? Is she okay?" Harrison asked breathlessly. He rushed through the door of Abby's small studio apartment. Abby shut and locked the door behind him.

"I don't know. Is she?" Abby asked casually, taking a seat on the bar stool in her small living room space.

"You called _me_ and said that Olivia was sick and you needed me to come right over. Why are you playing games with me, Abby? Liv isn't sick is she? She's not even here. You were lying."

"I am not a professional so I don't know if Olivia is sick or not. I needed to see you so I knew you'd come running if you thought your precious, Olivia, was threatened." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. She leaned back on the stool, spreading her thighs and propping herself up on the bar with elbows which caused her breasts to jut out.

"What are you doing, Abby?" Harrison looked at her through narrowed eyes in suspicion, but he couldn't stop his eyes from lingering on her body.

"What are _you _doing, Harrison? You knew Liv wasn't really sick or here with me," Abby said in a suggestive voice. She slipped off the stool and sauntered over to him where he stood by the couch. Her wedge hills made her height level to his. She unbuttoned her jeans and slid the zipper down slowly. She was taking a chance trying to seduce him like this. The last time she tried he'd rejected her in the worst way but only after she had sucked him dry.

"You will never be Olivia on your best day. I love her. You give good head but that is about it," He'd said before leaving her apartment that night. That had been almost 7 months ago. Now, knowing that Olivia was being unfaithful to Harrison broke down all of Abby's insecurities. It empowered her to know that Olivia was not as perfect as she seemed. Most of all it gave her the moxie she needed to seduce Harrison. If he really loved Olivia, he would have been gone by now.

When her jeans were open she made a production of out pulling them down. She was emboldened by the look in his eyes. She stepped out of her jeans and took his hand. She spun around in a circle so he could see the underwear she wore. They were Olivia's, the ones she had snagged from the agent's drawer. She didn't know if Harrison would recognize them. She was prepared for each eventuality. "Do you like my panties? Do they look familiar?"

"No. I'm more familiar with what is underneath."

Abby laughed heartily throwing her head back in victory. She hadn't planned to have sex with Harrison. It was her intention to taunt him before showing him the video of Olivia. Now she wanted to have some fun. After all Harrison turned her on like no other man ever did.

She grabbed his hand and pushed it down the front of her panties. She found his middle finger and pushed it into her as far as it would reach. Abby gasped in pleasure.

"Damn it, Abby! You are drenched." Harrison snatched his hand out of her and snatched the panties down. He picked her up and bent her over the back of the sofa. "So this is what you called me over here for, Abby? I hope you are ready because you are going to get it," He spread her and thrust into her.

"Is this what you wanted Abby?" He lifted her leg to get deeper.

"Oh yes!" she moaned, lifting her hips to meet his swift thrusts.

After they were spent, they lay on the floor. Harrison pulled her up on the couch and covered them with the blanket.

"Abby, this doesn't change anything between us. It's just sex."

His words stung, but the information she had about Olivia was a salve to her wound. She planned to use it, but not just yet. There was more fun to be had.

"I know. That's what I wanted, sex. We don't work as a couple, but the sex is hot so..."

A smirk crossed his lips. "Yeah, that was good, but it can't happen again. I'm leaving soon."

Abby wanted to tell him about the monkey wrench that was going to be thrown in his plans, but she was enjoying this too much.

"Whatever you say Harrison." Abby yawned and stretched.

"You haven't been talking to Olivia about us have you?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"A couple of nights ago, she asked some questions about us…like why no one said anything when she and I started dating. It's like she was trying to see if there was something between us."

"In my experience, people ask those kinds of questions when they are guilty about something. Maybe she's fucking someone else." Abby couldn't planting that seed. _How dare she ask about me? She practically took Harrison from me?_

"Liv would never cheat on me. She's not built for it. If she wanted to be with someone else, and I know she doesn't, she would just tell me. I know my Liv, she loves me. That is why I feel so bad about this, Abby. I don't want to hurt her."

Abby was sickened by the dreamy expression he wore when he spoke about Olivia, like he worshipped her. Well she had something for the both of them.

"So Liv is visiting her parents now? You should be with her, Harrison. You've never met them, right? I think you should drive up to Jersey tomorrow to surprise her. I know she will be thrilled to see you. You're right, Harrison, we shouldn't be doing this. I mean you love Liv and she is my friend. But I do have a question does she still refuse to give you head?" Abby began kissing her way down his chest. He was already standing at attention when she settled between his legs. She bent his knees and looked up at him waiting for an answer. "Does she, Harrison?"

"Umm…no, but I respect her decision not to do that. I'm o-o-o."

Abby took him into her mouth and sucked him with gusto. She was enjoying this immensely, but not as much as she would enjoy watching Harrison catch Olivia with her pants down, probably literally given the way they were going at it on the tape.

* * *

Fitz was on the brink of going totally insane because of what Olivia was doing to him with her mouth. She was under that table between his legs gripping his thighs as her mouth rose and fell over his manhood.

They were at Franklin's Icecream and Malt Shoppe. This was their last night in Princeton before they were to depart and return to New York. After dinner, Fitz had planned to talk to Olivia about Rome. She hadn't mentioned it him and was acting as if she wasn't planning to leave the country. He knew she wasn't going anywhere even though she didn't know it yet. His intention had been to convince her to stay stateside before she was forced to.

She convinced him to walk the 5 blocks to Franklin's for ice cream. Before they left, she ran upstairs to change. When she appeared again wearing the same sundress she wore when they met at the Heavenly Dish, his mouth watered and he instantly hardened. Thankfully he was carrying his jacket to cover his arousal, but not before Olivia saw it. They strolled down the tree-lined street linked only by their pinky fingers, talking about nothing in particular. They were led to a back booth at Olivia's request. Olivia ordered a milkshake.

When the server left Olivia scooted close to him so she could whisper in his ear. "Do you remember the last time we were at a place like this and you did what you did to me under the table?"

"Yes," he whispered evenly. She had already started unbuckling his belt.

"Well, it is only fair that I return the favor. I am nothing if not fair. So, hold up the menu and act natural," she said pushing her hand deep into his pants to caress him.

"Olivia, please…"

She slipped under the table quickly.

"What the hell are you doing?" he said.

"Please shut up," she said.

The only thing he could do was lay his head back on the seat and grip the table. "Sir, are you okay?" The foreign voice caused Fitz to open his eyes and whip his head up.

"I'm...um...under the weather. Thanks." Fitz smiled weakly and the server walked away.

"Olivia, please stop…let's finish this back at the house…please," he pleaded.

She appeared from under the table and took a swig of water. "Only because you asked nicely. Let's go."

Fitz closed his pants, dropped a $20 bill on the table and followed her out of the store. They walked back in silence. When they reached the yard, Fitz produced the keys to unlock the car door. He pulled her inside and finished what she started.

* * *

"Livy, I know you are moving to Rome, but given the circumstances, you shouldn't be moving to the other side of the world," Fitz said against her neck. They were snuggled together in bed hours after returning from the ice cream shop.

"How do you know that?" She turned to look at him.

"Does it matter? I know and I don't want you to go."

She sat up and propped herself against the headboard. "These last couple of days have been out of time...surreal. But it is time to go back to our lives."

Fitz rested on his back, looking up at the ceiling. "What about our rules of engagement? Those were your idea. You signed it."

"They are in effect until I leave."

He turned away from her on his side and didn't say another word. It was a long while before she was able to go to sleep.

* * *

The next morning they prepared to leave. Charlise prepared a big breakfast and they all ate together one more time. Charlise made them promise to come back to visit on a regular basis. Olivia hugged them all and walked to the car with tears welling up in her eyes. The cold, stark reality set in. It was time to go, but she didn't want to leave her family or Fitz. He watched her walk down the porch stairs sensing that she was having a difficult time. He hugged her parents and squeezed Timothy's hand.

"Tim, I will be in touch. I have a proposition for you. We can discuss it over the phone," Fitz said.

"I'll look forward to it...Harrison," Timothy said, winking his eye.

When her parents and Timothy returned to the house, Fitz placed Olivia's bags in her car. She leaned against her vehicle and pushed her big sunglasses over her eyes.

"Well, I guess this is it," she said softly.

"Yeah...at least until we get back to New York," he said with a smile.

"Livy, why are you crying." He could see the tears under her shades.

"I'm going to miss my parents and Tim," she said wiping away the tears from under the shades.

He removed her shades and hung them on his shirt collar. He grasped both sides of her face, cupping her cheeks. Using the pads of his thumbs he rubbed her tears. He kissed the path they had made on her cheeks. His lips felt the wetness as new tears flowed where he had wiped. He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. She opened her mouth to let his tongue slid inside. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed like this would be the last time. They forgot about everyone and everything around them. Fitz lifted her and she immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. They didn't hear the crunch of tires coming up the driveway or the slam of the two car doors.

"What the hell is this? Get your hands off her!" Harrison bellowed. Fitz opened his eyes just in time to see Harrison cock the gun in his hand and aim at his head.

* * *

_**Three Hours Earlier**_

Harrison was eager to see Olivia. He needed to. The guilt of his betrayal with Abby was eating at him. The sex had been plentiful and better than he'd ever had with anyone. He didn't understand what had come over them, but he knew he had to stay focused on the future with Olivia.

Since that last heist they had been disconnected like two strangers on a road that was about to diverge on different paths. He could no longer ignore that feeling of dread that continued to grow in his gut when he thought about her, about them as a couple. She was slipping away from him, and the thought made him afraid. He needed her in his life.

Years ago, when he and Abby had answered her bogus advertisement for security guards, Huck handled the initial interviews. He had rejected their application and turned them away without a word of explanation. Instead of leaving, Harrison had pulled Abby behind the door so they could eavesdrop on the next interview. Olivia had led this one. Then, her hair had been cut close. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off her. She had worn a tight white t-shirt and off-white slacks, held up by suspenders. Her very high-heeled pumps had matched the color of her slacks. At that moment, he'd resolved to come back again the next day until they could get an interview with her.

Even though he and Abby were living together as a couple, he became instantly enchanted with Olivia. He promised himself he would not give up until he had convinced her to hire them. They got another interview and won her over. Olivia decided to hire them on the spot. Huck was not been happy.

"Liv, I already rejected them both." Huck whispered but not soft enough to escape Harrison's and Abby's ears from the other room where he'd pulled her aside.

"Why? I think they are just what we need?" Liv had countered.

"He's a needy little boy and she has a chip on her shoulder the size of Mount Everest. She is mean as hell, too, Liv. To top it off they are a couple. We don't need that dynamic either. What if they break up? We can't afford the drama." Huck made his case. Olivia spoke back to him in a forceful whisper, but they couldn't make out what she was saying. Whatever she had said worked because they were hired and then briefed on what they would really be doing.

In a few short months, they were training for their first heist. Abby was in the worst mood all the time so Harrison ignored her, preferring to be around Olivia as much as he could. She always said the most flattering things to both of them. She asked about his past, which was painful and hard to talk about. She had helped him work through his mom's neglect and his dad's harsh military style upbringing. It was when he got the news of his mom's death that their relationship changed. She'd comforted him the night he received the news. He reached for her out of a deep need, and she didn't stop his hasty kisses and groping. The kiss had quickly progressed and their relationship instantly took a turn.

Abby was livid when she found out. She'd begged him to break it off. They argued and broke up. The next morning, Abby emerged as if nothing had happened. They became a cohesive team, seemingly loyal to OPs and each other to the core. It was accepted that Liv and Harrison were a couple. Every now and then, Abby would make a snide comment, but no one ever took it seriously.

These were the thoughts coursing through Harrison's mind as he prepared to go to Princeton. He stopped reminiscing about his past and jumped in his white SUV, eager to make the drive to Princeton. He placed the two arrangements of flowers he'd bought for Olivia and her mother in the cardboard box and sat them on the passenger side floor. He caught a faint whiff of strawberries, reminding him of Abby's shampoo. _I need to get Abby out my head…both heads…before I see Liv_. He thought.

Fifteen minutes into his trip, he was already on the turnpike, zipping past cars so he could put on the cruise control. He saw something move across his rearview mirror. He frowned and craned his head around to see.

"Harrison, keep your eyes on the road, unless you want to put both of us in an early grave," said Abby casually from the trunk area behind the rear seats. She extended her long legs over the back and front seats, plopping down beside him on the front passenger side. He squeezed the steering wheel, feeling himself go hard with arousal and white hot anger. _  
_

Harrison refused to look at her. He kept his eyes on the road.

"What's wrong, Mr. Wright?" she said palming him between his legs. "I know you are happy to see me."

"Abby, move your fucking hands. What the hell are you doing in my car?"

Abby smirked and sat back against the seat, propping her bare feet on the dashboard. She wore skimpy blue jean shorts, a very fitted v-neck t-shirt emblazoned with a skull and cross bones. "Hells Bells" was written in big, jagged letters across the skull, encircled by bells rimmed in flames. She obviously wore no bra because her nipples stood at attention.

Abby slid down on the seat and spread her thighs. She could never pass up making Harrison squirm, though. No longer insecure about anything, she felt totally in control of the situation. She slowly ran her hands up and down her inner thighs. His eyes were going to get whiplash swiping back and forth between the road and her.

Harrison's arousal was getting uncomfortable. Abby was killing him with the sexpot act.

"Abby, answer the damn question! Why were stowed away in my trunk? You can't be here. You know where I am going."

"Well, I thought I could give you some pointers on how to handle the family. I did some research on Olivia's family. Her mom and dad are normal enough, but her brother, Timothy, is a quadriplegic, so you should try to think of ways to bond with him. I don't want you to look surprised when you meet him."

"Really? A quadriplegic? Olivia has never mentioned that about him."

"And I need you to do something for me one more time before you see Olivia."

"What, Abby?"

Abby rubbed chin as if she was in deep thought. "I don't know how to put it into words so I'll show you." She quickly discarded her shorts and underwear.

"Remember these? They are the same ones from yesterday. My lucky panties…I'll explain later, but first…"

Harrison was in the fast lane but had slowed down significantly. The blare of the horns behind him caused him to speed up and move to the slow lane.

Abby let the seat back as far it could go. She was pleasuring herself with her fingers. Harrison couldn't take it anymore. He pulled over to the side of the highway and joined her on the passenger side seat.

Sometime later they were back on the road riding in silence. Abby had changed into more respectable attire: black jeans, a white blouse, and flats. She felt uneasy about what she was about to do. Despite everything, she knew Harrison was going to be destroyed when she burst his Olivia bubble.

Her mission to find out what was going on with Olivia had been exhilarating. It had given her something to look forward to instead of the pain of losing Harrison forever when he left for Rome.

She'd considered keeping her mouth shut instead of being the harbinger of bad news. Abby knew he would hate her once he realized how she had known about it all along and used it against him. The sex, manipulation, the push to get him to Princeton wouldn't be interpreted as the misguided actions of a woman hurt, alone, and afraid, but as the machinations of a vindictive, loathsome, and heartless woman scorned. But Abby didn't care about that. She couldn't stop herself because of the deep down hatred she had for Olivia. She hated how she had a family, a brother, and how Huck worshipped her. Practically everyone loved her and now Quinn was following suit. Even the FBI agent whose job it had been to arrest her risked, everything to be with her, cameras be damned. Well now it was time to expose her lies. Abby was intent on bringing Olivia down and she didn't care if she went down in the process.

"Abby, I don't know why you changed. I am dropping you off at the nearest bus station. You can't go with me to Olivia's parents."

"I'm sorry for everything, Harrison. I hope one day you can understand why I did this. I have always loved you. Even when you fucked Olivia behind my back…made me feel like I was nothing compared to her…I still loved you. I thought you should know that Olivia is not who you think she is." Abby spoke clearly and without emotion in her voice. Harrison took note and listened.

Abby pulled the panties from her pocket, letting the scrap of silk hang over her fingers. "Are you sure these aren't familiar to you?"

"No, and why do you keep asking me that?" Harrison said, disgusted.

Abby read the tag. "The tags reads "Antonella, manufactured in Italy." I am not fluent in Italian like Olivia so I think that is what it says."

Harrison's eyes widened and he snatched the panties from her hands. "These _are_ Liv's. What the hell are you doing with them? Why have you been wearing her panties, Abby?"

"I bet Agent Grant would be able to identify them," Abby said.

"Who in the hell is Agent Grant? For the last couple of days, you have been talking in riddles, flaunting your ass in front of me, happy to spread your legs for me. What is going on? If you have something to say, spill it. I am sick and tired of trying to figure out these puzzles."

"Olivia fuckin' Pope is not the Mother Theresa you think she is, Harrison. Do you remember how off balance she was after that heist at The Met? It wasn't because she was snagged by an FBI agent…well actually she was snagged by one…snagged by his dick. She fucked the FBI agent, Harrison. Fucked him _during_ the freakin' heist!" Abby screamed.

Harrison looked ready to commit murder. "I must have fucked your damn brains out because you are crazy. Is my cock that good that you would invent some shit like this to make me mad at Liv? Do you want me _that_ bad? You are a piece of work. You've always been jealous of Olivia but you have gone too damn far this time." Without looking back, Harrison veered to the right and off the exit. He pulled into the first driveway he saw, the parking lot of a seedy extended stay hotel. After killing the engine, he lunged at Abby. With both hands, he grabbed her neck and started squeezing.

"Take it back, you bitch!" Harrison screamed into her face watching her eyes turn red. Abby pulled on his hands, but they were too tightly bound around her neck. His eyes held a dazed look. Abby was not sure if Harrison was trying to kill her. She couldn't be sure of anything as her lungs burned for air. She wasn't prepared to die this way so she grabbed his ears and slammed her head into his. She knew it would hurt like hell, but it was her only course of action at this point. Huck had taught them to use that move as a weapon of last resort because of the potential damage to your own skull.

Harrison grunted in pain and fell back against the seat, gripping his head. Abby pulled a knife from her side holster and pointed it at him. She felt liquid streaming down her forehead. She wiped it away with the back of her hand and then smeared the bright red liquid on her jeans.

"You almost killed me you fucker! Stop acting like a damn child and listen to me! I swear I'll gut you like a pig if you try that again, Harrison. I don't want to, but I will. Sit up, and listen to me!"

Harrison turned around to face her. Blood ran down his temple. Abby grabbed a towel from the glove box threw it at him.

"I need to finish this because you need to hear it. I am going to give it to you straight, no more jabs or snide comments. When Olivia refused to let us see the tape, I got suspicious. You know Liv. She would never do that unless there was something on it she wanted to hide. Between that and her weirdness that night, I knew something was up. Huck and Quinn were acting suspiciously too, but they wouldn't talk to me. I don't think Quinn forgot to switch on the tape, and I know Olivia had Huck erased the original electronic feed from that night. I checked The Met and discovered that they have a back up recording on VHS in case the electronic archive goes out. I got the tape, Harrison. I'm not sure if I should show it to you now. Promise me you will keep your cool. It shows Olivia and the agent having sex. You can just take my word for it. Sex is sex, right?"

"No. I want to see it." Harrison said shakily.

"That might not be a good idea. I'll just describe it to you. See, he walks in the room while Liv is bent over the statue…"

"Abby! Show me the goddamn video! You have done all you could to let the damn cat out of the bag. Don't try to put it back in!"

Abby hesitated and then reached for her satchel in the backseat. That is when she realized her foot was stuck in a flower pot. She pulled out her phone and found the video file she had converted from the VHS. She pushed play and presented it to Harrison. He sat back on the seat and watched. His expression went from tortured to sad to angry to defeated. He threw the phone at Abby who caught it before it hit the window.

"Be careful. This video is our only proof of what really happened that night."

"Abby, you have really fucked me up good with this, but I am going to give her the benefit of the doubt. I fucked you so me and Liv are even now. We are leaving in a few days. I still don't understand the panties, though. That's sick and twisted, though, Abby, wearing Liv's draws."

"I found them at the agent's house. This is not a one time fling. I have developed two theories. Either she has been seeing him for a long time and that is why we have never been caught by the FBI or they fucked for the first time that night and have been seeing each other ever since. Either way is so unlike Queen Olivia, sleeping with the enemy, essentially fucking for our freedom…or she is so bored with you that she decided to get her jollies with the first person she met that night. You know our suits are designed to be worn with nothing underneath….talk about easy access…and then what about her rule about no sex the night before or the day of a heist. You didn't think I knew about that?…I guess she wanted all her strength reserved….and get this, Harrison…I found out that the agent, Fitzgerald Grant is engaged to be married to some prosecutor in six months! I visited her pretending to be a wedding planner and she gave me the dish. He has been preoccupied since the heist. That's where I found the panties…in his office. So all the evidence points to them getting busy for the first time that night and continuing to see each other. How else would he get her panties since she wasn't wearing any that night? Harrison, what are we going to do about this? She is putting us all in danger."

Harrison's cell phone rang breaking into the silence that formed after Abby's long monologue.

"What!" Harrison bellowed into the phone.

"Hello, Harrison, I have bad news for you. Rome is off!"

"Adonis, what are you talking about? Off?"

"Marco not want you in cartel. He say you are bug." Adonis spoke with a thick Italian accent.

"Bug? What the hell does that mean?"

"You plan to snitch to Italian government and American government about cartel. He say government has been sniffing round. It's your fault. We can't trust your ass. So no Roma for you. The deal is off. Don't come to Italy. You might be ended if you do. You are bug!" Adonis disconnected the line.

"Adonis, wait. That isn't true. Let me talk to Marco." Harrison punched the steering wheel. "Shit. This is truly the worst damn day of my life."

"What was that about?"

"Nothing, he said, "Okay, Abby. There has been a change in plans. You _are _coming with me to Liv's parents' house. You think this Agent Grant is there with her don't you? Make no mistake. I am still mad as hell at Liv, but I am going to get her ass and bring it back to New York. As for the agent, his ass is grass as far as I am concerned. I may just have to take him out so I am going to need your help. I don't know how I am going to deal with you, Abby. He pulled her onto his lap so that she faced him.

"I'm sorry for these." He planted kisses on the black and black blue ovals and lines along her neck.

* * *

Timothy was glad that his mom and dad had gone into the basement to watch their favorite morning news shows. The basement had been redone and was like a house onto itself, complete with its own kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. It was also sound proof.

He was thankful that they weren't privy to the heartbreaking scene taking place outside. Olivia was a mess as usual. It was time to leave Grant and she was acting like a little school girl who didn't want to leave her mommy to get on the bus for school. The good thing was Grant seemed to be as stupid crazy about her as she was about them. Able-bodied folks, whew! Sometimes they exasperated Timothy to no end. Trying to play like they were so strong when they were as crippled as he was, but to their emotions and not to some cruel twist of fate that had rendered them to a wheelchair like him.

Timothy's motto for life was to embrace your inner cripple and love it fiercely. That's what he had done. Life had given him a boatload of lemons and he had made lemonade. If only, he could get his sister to stop carrying the damn accident around her neck like an anvil. No more art stealing. Settle down, have some kids, and grow old. Be happy. She had enough money to do so, but he was sure she wanted to suffer, suffer, out of some since of loyalty to him. _Why should I walk around when Timothy won't ever be able to? _That's what she'd screamed at their parents before she'd returned to college after his accident. Then she moped around like a zombie. The next he knew she was stealing very high priced art with Huck. Go figure! She seemed to be happy as a lark, or so she put on, because when she came to visit, her smiles never reached her eyes…well accept for this time with Grant.

Timothy heard a chime, signaling that something was entering the long drive onto the Pope property. He looked at the monitors and saw a white SUV pull in slowly on the gravel driveway. Timothy focused on lifting his arm to press the zoom button so he could see who was inside the SUV. He hadn't told anyone about his increased range of motion or how he could lift both arms level above his lap. On some days, when he was adventurous, he could lift his right arm above his head, but it tired him out to the point of total exhaustion. Those muscles had long since atrophied so it took a Herculean effort to do that. He knew he should tell someone so he could start therapy, but he didn't want to just yet, least of all the bastard doctors who said he'd never be able to lift his head much less his arms.

"Oh hell! What are they doing here?" Timothy said aloud when he saw Abby and Harrison. His mind started to race. There was no time to alert Grant or Olivia even if he was able-bodied. He knew that his sister and Fitz weren't going to stop pawing each other anytime soon so it was inevitable that Harrison would see them and then it would begin. All the ingredients were there.

Timothy knew that Harrison had an unhealthy attachment to Olivia tied up in his mommy issues. Judging from his observations of Fitz before and since this weekend, he was on a total Olivia head trip. Abby was a vindictive witch with an unhealthy attachment to Harrison _and_ Olivia because of her jealously. And then there was Olivia, oblivious to it all. She would just be in the way as she tried to fight for each side. He exhaled, tired from this already. This was going to be a fight of epic proportions unless he rolled in.

Timothy smiled and slapped his knee as best as he could because he would finally get to see what Pandora 1 and Pandora 2 could really do. Pandora 1 was a state of the art motorized wheel chair. It had arms he could control with his fingers. The arms held darts, arrows, and bullets. Pandora 2 was his state of the art security system that spanned the periphery of the Pope property. It was complete with traps hidden strategically around the property. He could control it all from Pandora 1, or his laptop, or his cell phone. Right now the system was shut off because it used a lot of energy. He flipped the switch to turn it on. He rolled over to Pandora 1 switched it on and waited for the seat to extend. He would usually require help to get into the other chair, but he had practiced bearing on his better arm. He strained and swung himself over. He landed crooked, but was able to right himself. By the time he was ready to go downstairs, he was ringing wet with sweat. He glanced at his watch knowing his parents wouldn't be upstairs for hours. He hoped this would be over long before then. Just in case, he pushed another button that activated a lock to the basement door.

Timothy rolled around the house just in time to see a haggard looking Harrison and Abby emerge from the car. Harrison drew his gun, "What the hell is this? Get your hands off her?"

* * *

Fitz took a deep breath. He felt his heartbeat slow down. He'd learned that in training. In tense, life and death, situations, the automatic response was fight or flight. He learned to go against his natural inclinations and slow everything down. He had already memorized his surroundings, another tidbit from FBI training, to know the area, exits, entrances, measurements, etc. He grabbed Olivia closer so he could whisper in her ear.

"When I release you, roll under the car and stay there, okay?" She nodded in agreement.

"Didn't you hear me Grant! Get your fuckin' hands off my woman!" Harrison bellowed.

Fitz touched his lips to Olivia's brow. He had already slid his hand around his waist and to his holster. He now palmed his Glock 27. He simultaneously released Olivia from his hold while pulling out his gun, drawing it and aiming at Harrison.

He stepped over Olivia as she rolled under the car.

"FBI, drop your weapon!" Fitz said as he had done some many times before.

"I am not dropping anything. You are just a dirty agent sniffing after my woman and it stops today. I came to get her and we'll be leaving. Olivia, get your ass out here! I know you've been fucking this agent. Naturally, we have some things to discuss, but I forgive you, okay? Abby, I see her feet, pull her out." Harrison motioned for Abby to go forward.

"Harrison, what are you doing? How could you come to my parents house like this…with a gun…you bastard!" Olivia screamed from under the SUV.

Abby made a move to walk to the car but a dart came from the right side of the house and pierced her arms. She fell to the ground.

There was a whirring sound as Timothy finally made himself known. He wheeled out into the opening.

An involuntary smile appeared on Fitz's lips. _Timothy! I should have known._

"Okay this is how all this shit is going to go down! Harrison, drop your gun, put your hands behind your head and lie flat on the ground. Your girl is already down so just do what she is doing," Timothy instructed.

"Tim, I can handle this. Are Charlise and Lionel okay? I don't want them to walk outside." Fitz kept his eyes and gun trained on Harrison.

"Mom and Dad are watching TV. They won't come up for air for a couple of hours so we are good." Timothy looked dismissively at Harrison.

Olivia scooted from under the car and stood up. "No, this is my problem. Harrison, please! Put down the gun. Let's talk about this." She walked toward Harrison.

Fitz grabbed her arm and snatched her behind him.

"Grant, stop manhandling her. We do need to talk. And what is this? Old home week or something? How do you know Olivia's parents and brother? Liv, you never told me about your crippled ass brother, Livy. Why? What did I do to deserve this? I thought you loved me."

"Harrison, if you don't do what I say, crippled will be a step up for you. Get on your face!" Timothy warned.

Harrison ignored him and made a move toward him. Timothy released 4 darts into Harrison's body, and he went down like a felled tree.

"Timber!" Timothy yelled.

"What are in those darts?" Fitz asked moving away so that Olivia could come around his body.

"Timothy! What did you do to them?" Olivia asked.

"Aww, nothing that a couple of hours of sleep won't cure. I shot them with tranquilizers. Abby will come to before Harrison. He was a high strung don't you think? And Liv, don't feel guilty about stepping out on Harrison with Grant, here. He and Abby have had a few liaisons since you all have been together. Look at them! They both look like they've been in a fight already. I wonder what happened on the drive down. This was fun even thought I didn't get to use Pandora 2. Whew! Little ducks in Texas! Whoo hoo!" Timothy shouted, lifting both of his arms above his head. In all the excitement, he had forgotten to hide his new range of motion.

At that moment, Olivia could care less about Harrison or Abby. She grabbed Timothy's hands and hugged them to her chest.

"Timmy," she screamed. She used to call him that when they were small kids. "You raised your arms! Fitz did you see that, he raised his arms! She fell in Timothy's lap and hugged him tightly, laughing and crying all at once. Fitz knelt beside the chair and rubbed her back. Timothy lay back in the chair with no clever words to offer up. All he could do was let his own tears flow at her happiness. In the midst of this mess, Olivia seemed truly happy in that moment.


	5. CrazySexyCool

**Chapter 7**

**Crazy Sexy Cool**

* * *

The sun wiped its brow and laid down behind the horizon for a night's rest. Even it was tired from the day it had, beaming down on the confrontation at the Pope estate. Illuminated only by the city lights, the night sky was dark, providing cover for the sleeping sun.

Olivia lay in the passenger seat of Fitz's SUV. She faced him with her knees pulled to her chest and the seat extended back. She had been awake for the last 30 minutes, but she didn't let on. Her eyes slid over the contours of his face. She could tell he was thinking as he drove down the turnpike because his expression held an intensity of focus, more than what was required to drive down the highway. On the side of his face, his temple flickered back and forth as he grinded his teeth.

Olivia was afraid of the feelings she was developing for him, a virtual stranger. It was undeniable. There was a connection between them. She had felt it that first night and every moment sense, whether they were together or parted. She was afraid of it because that connection was splitting her life wide open. Everything she had built was coming unraveled. One could question the value of what she had built: A business stealing the possessions of others with a band of broken people who she thought she was helping didn't seem like much in retrospect.

Today, Harrison had looked like a sad, weak, little boy. From what she had been able to see of Abby from her hiding place under the car, she had looked so restless. Olivia wondered why she had come with Harrison, but then she remembered that Abby loved him. She always had. Now they both lay bound and chained in Timothy's work shed. There was so much to be sorted out. The most pressing issue involved Harrison and Abby. What were they going to do with them? She pushed that boulder of a problem to the back of her mind and savored this little moment where she could just watch him. She wasn't sure if she would ever have quiet time like this with him again when they got back to New York and its cold reality.

"What are you thinking about?" Olivia asked. She pushed the lever to lift her seat and stroked his cheek. "Stop grinding your teeth."

"Nothing. What about you?" He took her hand and kissed it to his lips. "You sound like my mother. She would say the same thing when I was in high school. I think you two would like each other."

Olivia made an exasperated sigh. "How could you possibly know that. You don't really even know me and what you do know of me is…"

"Is what? I know that you are crazy, sexy, and cool. Crazy, because you live by your own rules. The life you have lived for the last ten years is simply crazy, and that you haven't been caught is even crazier. When you and Timothy get together and you stop blaming yourself for his injury, you two can get really crazy. Sexy…that night at The Met…I had an instant sexual reaction and attraction to you not just when you felt it after we fought, but as soon as I walked into the room...before you even knew I was there. It was insane…that night…I will never understand it…We literally collided. I think it's cool that you can beat my ass in Krav Maga. You are fluent in Italian and Spanish. How cool is it that you wore a body suit and nothing else during your heists. And your little disguises are cool too, though I prefer your springy curls."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you. It's simple. Do you want me?" he gazed at her before returning his eyes to the road.

Olivia's heart beat faster. She knew she should lie and deny, but this man had enchanted her completely.

"Absolutely," Olivia said evenly.

"Did you just say what I think you said?"

Olivia nodded in agreement. "Wow. I never expected you to admit that. You keep me on my toes. I know it seems impossible, but we are going to be together. I don't know how yet, but Timothy and I are working on it."

Olivia hugged his arm to her chest and lay back against the seat again. "I wonder how long he has been keeping the movement in his arms a secret? I am happy but… so angry at him for keeping it from me. If Mom and Dad knew, they would have told me. I am convinced he kept it from them too. The question is why?"

"I am sure he has his reasons, Liv. Your brother is a complex guy. I'm just happy that he likes me, accepts me, and is okay with us being a couple."

"So he told you that even before _I_ have agreed to that?" Olivia asked.

"Meeting Timothy and finding out about the accident has given me insight into you, Olivia Pope. I now understand how you could become involved with someone like Harrison."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Olivia said with an edgy anger in her voice.

"Harrison is very immature. He is a boy. You need a man. He was in full tantrum mode today." Fitz mocked him, " 'Liv! I want my Liv! Why did you leave me, Liv' whine, whine, whine. How can he take care of you like a real man should? I think you took care of him out of some misdirected since of loyalty to Timothy. Another way to pay for what you thought you did to him in the accident. Your whole life since the accident has been you trying to pay for something you weren't even responsible for. And Liv even if you _would have_ been the reason for the accident, you shouldn't have to pay for it with your life."

"Fitz, let me out of this damn car. I let you fuck me a few times and now you think you can psychoanalyze me."

"I'm not trying to psychoanalyze you. You are wounded by your past, but you don't have to be anymore. You can let it go and move on, baby." She tried to open the SUV door, but thankfully they were locked. He activated the child locks for good measure.

Fitz was almost at the place where he had lived before he and Mellie moved in together five years ago. He hadn't sold it like she had wanted. Instead he'd hired a property management company to rent out the rooms and manage the care and upkeep. He'd requested that one apartment be kept vacant in case he ever needed it to use it.

He turned around and faced the road, ignoring her temper tantrum as she screamed to get out of the car, banging on the window. Fitz parked on the street outside his brownstone and turned off the ignition. He turned to face her. After her histrionics ended, he pulled her onto his lap.

"I'm sorry if I upset you, but I am not sorry for what I said," Fitz said.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore. Where are we? This isn't my place?" Olivia asked looking around.

"We are at my place."

"You don't live with your fiancé? I know she can't be here if you're bringing me here."

"This is where I lived before we moved in together. We are going to stay here tonight. After I get you settled inside, I am leaving to go talk to her, and break off the engagement."

"So you're really going to do this? Break up with the woman you asked to marry you? How long have you known Millicent?"

"Over 7 years, we've dated. We've lived together for 5."

"That's a hell of a long time. You can't just go up to her and end it like that. What are you going to say?"

"Honestly, I don't know," he said gliding his hands up and down her back, letting the familiar feeling of arousal overcome him. She was so close. Her lips were only inches away from his as was everything else. He calculated how quickly he could remove her pants, unzip his, and be home.

"Well, you need to have a plan. She has invested 5 years of her life into you and you all…" Olivia hesitated when she felt her zipper coming down. She covered his hand with hers and tapped his cheek. "Focus Fitzgerald…you know? All of a sudden, I am hungry. I'd kill for some sushi and chocolate brownies."

She moved back into her seat and stuck out her hand, "Give me the key. What's the apartment number? I'll go up while you go and get food. When you get back, I'll help you with your approach to breaking off the engagement."

"Does that mean you and I are..."

"Yes, Fitz. I will go steady with you. I'll wear your letter jacket. Pin me!" Olivia said in her best impression of a teenage girl.

Fitz chuckled. He pulled her back into his lap and started for her zipper again, "Okay, I'll pin you."

"No, babe. That will have to wait for later when we are behind closed doors. I can see the headlines now: 'FBI Deputy Director disgraced after caught with pants down in car with art thief.' Point me in the direction of the right building. I'll see you when you get back."

Fitz watched Olivia from across the street as she punched in the code to enter the front door. His cell phone rang. It was Cyrus.

"Finally you answer! Why the hell haven't you returned any of my calls or texts? I wouldn't normally call one of my employees when they are enjoying their vacation, but I had to. When Mellie called me looking for you, I knew something was up, Fitz. You have her thinking you are away on an assignment for the Bureau? She was worried sick until I covered for your ass and told her you were unreachable. When you decide to lie to her in the future, please let me know so I won't be caught unawares." Cyrus bellowed into the phone.

"Cy, I'm sorry about that. I've been a little preoccupied and couldn't get back with you." Fitz explained.

"What are you into? Is this a little early bachelor party? Who are you whoring around with? This has to be another woman," Cyrus said. "You better answer me or I'll find out on my own. Is there another woman?"

"Yes," Fitz said. He drove onto the street headed for Sakagura Restaurant.

"Are you still planning on marrying Mellie?"

"No."

Fitz only heard grunts and other sounds of distress from Cyrus on the other line.

"Fitz, you've been like a son to me ever since I first met you as a new agent fresh out the Academy. Even then, I knew you had the potential to go all the way. One day you will have my job, but you need support. If you were a low level agent, I wouldn't give a rat's ass about your personal life because it wouldn't matter. But at this level, it does. You can keep this woman and Mellie too, Fitz. Just don't call off the wedding."

Fitz had reached the restaurant. He spotted Café Intermezzo where he could pick up a batch of brownies. _Do chocolate brownies and sushi really go together? _He thought, smiling to himself.

"Cy, I appreciate your concern, and I am sorry about putting you in an awkward situation with Mellie. If I am honest, I've just been going through the motions with her all these years. She has been like a good friend to me, loyal and constant, but there was never any real passion between us. I have found that now. Staying with Mellie would be a mistake. I'd rather call off a wedding than to get a divorce later. I have found the woman of my dreams and I am not going to settle for Mellie anymore," Fitz couldn't help himself, realizing that he probably shouldn't have poured his heart out like that to Cyrus.

"She must have gold between those legs, Fitz. You sound pretty settled about this. I want to meet her."

Fitz didn't respond for a while as he thought about the right response. "I'd love for you to meet her but this is pretty new and…she doesn't speak much English."

All Fitz heard was Cyrus' laughter on the other end. "Okay, well I guess I won't ask how you two communicate. Let me know if you need protection because breaking off with Mellie will be hazardous to your health. You have been her pet project for years and I don't think she is going to except this and go away quietly. Get this done soon because you are due to report first thing next week. I need your full attention."

"Cyrus, I have someone in mind to be my assistant. I met him through a friend. He will be an unconventional choice but I know he will be a great asset. He'll pass security clearance, easily." Fitz said as he entered the restaurant and waited in the line to make his order.

"What is his name? I trust your judgment."

Timothy... Jones," Fitz answered.

A short time later he was on his way back to the brownstone armed with sushi and chocolate brownies. He dialed Timothy.

"I still have everything under control, Grant. The thugs are still locked down, safe and secure in the shed. They haven't come to yet. I hope I didn't mistake the poison darts for the tranquilizer darts. If I did, then we have two dead thugs on our hands." Timothy said from his post in the shed.

It had been an uncomfortable day for him. After the face off and Olivia's happy crying episode, they'd argued about what to do with Harrison and Abby. Olivia's suggestions had been the first to be discarded. She thought she could talk to them and convince them that they could all part as friends. Fitz and Timothy both agreed that it would be the best plan to lock them up in a secret, but secure location until they developed a plan. As it turned out, Timothy's shed was the best place. He had the supplies there to bind and secure them in the shed. Olivia's parents rarely, if ever, ventured out there.

Timothy had decided to remain in the shed until they awoke. He wanted the satisfaction of seeing them in such a powerless position. He especially wanted to see the look of helplessness in Harrison's eyes.

"Tim, you know exactly which darts you used. I wasn't calling to check up on you. Well, maybe I was a little. I was thinking that we should keep them locked up indefinitely until Liv and I can get away. She actually has quit fighting me about being together. She is supposed to be helping me come up with a script to break off my engagement."

"Being with Olivia is the least of your problems. I told you that she has been hit with the arrow of that damn cupid statue she loves so much…the one she was trying to lift that night at The Met…Sleeping Eros. How romantic that both of you seem to have been knocked silly by cupid that night. I bet you never made that connection did you? I have been thinking a lot while keeping watching over these unconscious bastards. You only have one choice, Grant, if you want to be with Olivia. You will have to disappear. Would that work better with a woman scorned on your case OR with a woman who still thinks she is marrying Fitzgerald T. Grant, Deputy Director of the FBI? I am hoping you haven't broken it off with your girl yet. You must keep pretending that you will marry her. That will buy time for us to work what I am going to call the ultimate heist to make you two disappear."

"I can see the logic in your argument, but I don't know if Olivia is going to go for this," Fitz said.

"It doesn't really matter. It is on the only way. I'll talk to her."

"Tim, do you remember that proposition I was talking to you about?" Fitz asked walking to the door of the brownstone.

"Yeah…"

"I want you to come work for me at the Bureau...as my assistant."

"What? Why would you want that? Do you miss me that much, Grant?"

"I was thinking about this even before those two idiots showed up today. The FBI could use a brilliant mind like yours. You can help me make a cleaner exit. Maybe they'll give you my job when I disappear."

"But don't you think someone will find out that I am Olivia's brother?" Timothy asked. There seemed to be some movement coming from Harrison. "Fitz, I think one of them is waking up. I have to go. We can talk more about this later."

Timothy disconnected the line and rolled his chair closer to Harrison. He used Pandora 1 to hit Harrison across the back. "Stop trying to play possum. Were you eavesdropping on my phone call? It doesn't matter because you and your girl are truly fuckety fucked up!"

Harrison grunted and moaned at the blow to his back. "I heard every word your crippled ass said. Make no mistake. I am going to get out of here and get Liv. We are going to Rome and Grant is going to jail."

Timothy used Pandora 1 again, but this time he shot him with another tranquilizer dart. "Sweet dreams, little boy."

* * *

Fitz made one last call before he reached the brownstone.

"Fitz! Oh my God, darling! How are you? I hope you are safe. Why didn't you tell me you were on a classified mission? I thought you were still out looking for that art thief woman. Cyrus was a dear and shared a little information with me, but you have to let me know these things, okay?"

"I'm sorry, Mels." Fitz said, using a term of endearment for her that he hadn't used in a long while. He made a decision to take Timothy's and to a lesser extent Cyrus's advice. Continue this charade with Mellie. He was prepared to tell Olivia about the change in plans tonight.

"Fitz, you haven't called me that in ages, dear! I wish I could kiss you now. When will you be home?" Mellie asked excitedly.

"In two days."

"I can't wait. We have so many more plans. Your parents and brothers are coming in town next week. I invited them. I hope that was okay. It should be fun," Mellie said.

"Why in the hell did you do that without consulting me, Mellie? I will be starting at…" Fitz stopped realizing he was going to reveal too much. Mellie didn't know he had been on vacation so she wouldn't know that he would be officially starting his new post next week. "I'm sorry, Mellie, It should be fun. They are calling me back. I have to go."

"I love you," she said into the phone, but he had already hung up. Mellie wondered what he was going to say before he abruptly stopped. She was uneasy because he sounded so distant on the phone.

* * *

Fitz balanced the bag in one hand and unlocked the door to the apartment with the other. The room was clothed in darkness.

"Livy? I'm back. Where are you? Livy?" He flicked on the light just as a small hand grabbed his wrist and spun him around against the door.

Before he could respond, his wrists were locked in a pair of handcuffs. He was then pulled around and led to the recliner in his sparsely furnished apartment. He was pushed down on the chair.

"Agent Grant, have you been using these handcuffs for business or pleasure?" Olivia asked him. She was standing before him wearing one of his old gun holsters and nothing else.

He didn't answer because he couldn't stop looking at her. She walked to the door and picked up the bag of food, bending over ever so slowly so he could enjoy the view. Then she walked to the small kitchen area and placed it in the refrigerator.

"Answer me, Agent Grant, business or pleasure?"

He attempted to stand up, but she pushed him back down with a foot to the chest. She kept her foot pressed there. Then she lifted it higher, rubbing it on his cheek. He turned his head and kissed her arch.

"When are you going to free me, Livy?"

"Never," she whispered and climbed on top of him.


	6. Back to Life Back to Reality

**Chapter 8**

**Back to Life Back to Reality**

* * *

"Have you thought about my job offer, Tim?" Fitz asked. He and Tim were on the phone.

Fitz was stretched out on his sofa watching Olivia's attempt at multi-tasking. She was trying to cook dinner and text. At present, she was furiously texting with her back to the stove. The hot foaming liquid bubbled out and over the side of the pot that held the fettuccine noodles. At the same time, a milky looking substance bubbled over the sides of the fryer. The other pots weren't overflowing, but the gas burners looked to be on the highest setting.

Olivia spun around when the hiss of the liquid meeting the flame caught her attention. "Fuck!"

She reduced the heat on all the burners and then tried to simultaneously clean up her mess and continue texting.

"Tim, Does she know how to cook?" Fitz said. He wanted to help, but she'd shooed him away several times.

"My sister can do anything, but she doesn't like to cook because it requires her full attention."

"I don't know if what she is doing could be called cooking. It isn't going so well. She keeps turning her back to the stove. Tim, you know Liv like a book," Fitz said.

"Yes, I do, Grant. Unless you want the fire department there soon, you should contain it and call me back."

Before Fitz could respond, Tim had already hung up the phone.

Fitz joined Olivia at the stove. It looked worse close up. The ingredients for fettuccine alfredo with salmon and vegetables were either raw, scorched, or dried out. It was a hot mess, but Olivia was trying to salvage it.

Sensing his presence behind her, Olivia stopped working. "I got this. Don't try to help me. I know it looks like shit now, but I can skim some of this alfredo sauce off the top. I think there are enough noodles. I don't know about this salmon. The broccoli is only burned on the bottom."

He hugged her from behind and turned off all the burners. "You don't have to cook for me. We can take out or eat one of those delicious frozen dinners I bought. I think there is one with salmon and veggies."

"I'm sorry. I _can_ cook. It's just that I get distracted and this happens. I wanted tonight to be special since you'll be going back to…you'll be returning to her and your old life tomorrow." She turned around to face him, trying to mask her sadness.

He scooped her up in his arms and her legs automatically wrapped around his waist. Fitz sat with her on the sofa. They held each other's gaze for a while. Fitz ran his finger from the middle of her forehead to the tip of her nose. He kissed her forehead, nose, chin, and each cheek. Lastly, he pressed his lips to hers. He pulled back and smiled broadly at her.

"Why are you smiling like that? Dinner is destroyed." His grin was contagious so she smiled too.

"You aren't going to like it," he said, grinning more broadly.

"What am I not going to like?"

"I love you, Olivia. You can't convince me otherwise. You can't tell me it's lust. I love you. As I told you yesterday, I am only going back to Mellie to make this transition easier…so she won't be a threat to you given her background. Tim was right. It's the only way. But it is only a charade. I promise that I will find a way to see you every day."

Olivia hugged him close laying her head on his shoulder. He could feel her heart beating hurriedly against his chest. "I love you too," she whispered.

When she said it, he hugged her closer. His heart sped up to match hers. After a long while, she pulled back.

"Livy, I think I need to give you some cooking lessons."

"Oh really? Now…while you are unbuttoning my dress?"

"Yes. You need to approach cooking like we approach making love. There should never be any multitasking. Every thought and all your attention should be totally directed towards…well…the task at hand." He lifted her in his arms and walked her to the bedroom.

"Let me demonstrate what I mean here on the bed." He undressed her until she was completely naked.

"Get on the bed and lie on your stomach. Don't move. This is foreplay. I am prepping you for the big finish. Like in cooking, the prepping is just as important to the final dish."

"Fitz, I think I am ready now. I don't need much prepping," Olivia said totally and completely aroused.

"For the sake of the lesson, we have to go through each step, okay? It is my aim to improve your cooking."

Aching with desire, Olivia shrugged her shoulders and lay on her stomach atop the bed. She propped her on the pillow and turned her head to watch him undress.

"Fitz, you are ready too, babe. I understand the lesson. No multitasking. Focus."

"Nope, you need more instruction. Shh, Livy."

He sat on the bed beside her. She snaked her hand between his legs. He evaded her hand, slapping it away.

"Greedy girl," he admonished, straddling her waist. He reached forward and opened the side drawer removing something she couldn't see. Then she felt a cold, hard object glide down her back. He grasped her wrists extending her arms high above her head. Olivia felt the cuffs close around her wrists.

"Fitz, you didn't."

"I did. so I guess the answer to your question from when you cuffed me is pleasure."

"Is this still a cooking lesson?"

"Now we switch to the feast," he whispered in her ear.

He peppered little kisses behind her ear, along her neck and down her arm. When he reached her hand, he drew each of her fingers, one at a time, slowly into his mouth. Olivia moaned at the sensation of her fingers in his mouth. He repeated his ministrations on her other hand.

He lightly massaged her shoulders while kissing and licking down the center and on either side of her back. Olivia was starting to move her hips involuntarily. He moved back up her body and whispered in her ear. "What do you want, baby?"

"You. I want you in there now."

"Not yet."

He moved back down her body and licked a path over the curve of each mound of her derriere and down her legs to her heels. He bent each of her legs back at the knee and suckled each of her toes. She laughed a little because it tickled. The laughter turned to whimpers as he licked twin paths down the inside of each of her inner thighs. She knew where he was headed. Olivia thought she was going to die from the anticipation. It was like he was already there. He parted her thighs. She gasped loudly as he took her into his mouth, his tongue and lips molding into her flesh from behind.

"Fi…" Olivia felt light and airy as if something in her released. Fitz lifted her up on her knees so he could lick her from front to back.

He flipped her over wanting to enjoy her front as much as her back.

"Baby, please. I need you now, please," she whimpered.

Fitz grabbed the key to free her wrists. He grasped her legs so that they hung over his elbows and then he entered her swiftly. She gasped and shuddered at the full hardness of him that occupied her completely. Her arms grabbed for something to hold on to. His back became her anchor. They stared at each other as he stroked in and out of her. Her fingernails gripped his skin, her nails sinking into the skin of his back. They both screamed in passion as he emptied himself into her. She welcomed the gift he had to give.

* * *

Fitz awoke with a start. He didn't want tomorrow to come. Tomorrow meant he would have go leave her. He unwrapped his limbs from hers and walked into the small living area. The smell of burned broccoli and fish met his nostrils as he dialed Timothy.

"I thought you had forgotten me, Grant. I guess she didn't burn down the place," Timothy said.

"No, nothing like that. So are you going to take the job, Tim?"

"Yes, but, how are you going to get me a security clearance? I am not going to prison." Timothy said.

"I need you to invent a life for yourself. I already told my superior that your name is Timothy Pope. I'll make sure your fabricated identity checks out. Any other questions?"

"Where am I going to live? I can't commute back and forth from here and New Jersey."

"I own a brownstone. If you don't mind, you can share an apartment with Olivia or you can have your own," Fitz explained.

"I need my own space. I can't live with my sister. When are you going back to your place?"

"Tomorrow. It's going to be hell, Tim. Pretending will be difficult."

"It shouldn't be. You're an agent, man." Tim explained.

"Right. How are our...occupants? I don't know how you are doing it. How are you able to keep them from Charlise and Lionel?"

"They are okay, I guess. The red head tried to pull a Gandhi on me...refusing to eat and shit, but she is now. Harrison is an idiot. My parents stay out of my way so they wouldn't dare come to the shed. When do I start this new job, because we need to develop a plan for these idiots. They cannot be trusted. They belong in jail, but that won't happen without some serious intervention. I'm sure they'd find a way to throw multiple monkey wrenches in our plan. I need more time to think about it. There is always the nuclear option…killing them…but we aren't there yet. Murder is a real style cramper."

"Murder is not an option Tim, but I know you are joking. As soon as I get your security clearance, I'll know your start date. The only other thing I can think of is bringing them to the brownstone," said Fitz.

"That's an idea. Oh and make sure the brownstone is ADA compliant. I am in a wheelchair."

"Yep. Shouldn't you be in physical therapy? When are you going to tell your parents and your doctor about what you can now do?"

"Grant, let me worry about that. Don't think that just because my sister is your girlfriend and you are my boss, that you can boss me around. I will follow your orders at work, but no one tells me what to do." Timothy explained.

"Okay, Tim. I'll be in touch tomorrow."

Fitz popped a frozen dinner in the microwave and scraped all the burned food into the waste bin. He filled the pans and fryers with water to soak.

The bell sounded on the microwave signaling that the frozen meal was ready. He popped in the other one. When they were ready he carried them along with two Italian sodas into the bedroom.

Olivia sat up in the bed when he returned. "Something smells good. I am so hungry. Thank you."

"I never knew a frozen dinner could be this good," she said between sips of her soda.

They ate in silence for awhile each trying to prepare themselves for the next day.

* * *

The morning came too quickly. Fitz updated Olivia on everything she needed to know about the building. He gave her another cell phone to use when calling and receiving calls from him.

She examined the phone."You can track me with GPS this phone, too, can't you?" Olivia said.

"You know me well. Yes. It has tracking capability so keep it with you at all times. You're going to meet Huck and Abby today. Are you going anywhere else?"

"Does it matter if I tell you? I'm sure you'll know. Now get out of here. I have to get ready." She rose up to kiss him.

"I'll see you tonight."

"Okay, Fitz. I love you. Goodbye," Olivia said brightly, pushing him out the door. She pressed her back to the wall and wept silently.

* * *

"Olivia, this is my fault. I should have known Abby would keep searching when I wouldn't give her the information she wanted." Huck said. He along with Abby and Olivia met each other at OPs headquarters.

"If there is anyone to blame, it's me, Huck," said Quinn. "I wasn't convincing enough. I'm not a good actress."

"Quinn, please cut the crap, if that is your real name. I have one word for you, "Timothy Pope," Olivia said.

Quinn looked at Olivia blankly, "What is that supposed to mean? I don't know a Timothy Pope."

Olivia thought about it and realized that her brother probably didn't use his real name when he hired her. "Quinn, who hired you to spy on me? What was his name? I can tell you with confidence that he is my brother, Timothy Pope. It's okay, he told me. You can break your cover."

"Mothman. That's his name. Mothman is your brother?"

"Yes, Mothman is Timothy Pope. So you haven't met him?"

"Olivia, no. He said that he and I would never meet unless I broke my cover or screwed things up. He seems pretty hardcore so I don't know if I want to meet him," said Quinn.

"Huck, is Timothy hard core?" Olivia asked, looking at him out the corner of her eye.

"I don't know anymore, Liv. I haven't seen him in years. He could have contacted me to check on you," said Huck.

"But he knew you'd tell me, Huck. He wanted to keep it a secret. You know Tim. Mothman? I wonder where he got that name from?" Olivia shook her head and chuckled.

"Tim is a little special Liv. He always has been even before the accident. He has zero tact and an overactive can we help you with everything, Liv? Are you with Grant now?"

"We are…together," she said, a small smile appearing on her lips, "And I have no apologies about it. The first thing we need to do is shut down OPs. Huck, you really are the only remaining one. I am still getting out of the business. Harrison and Abby are effectively out. Quinn is a spy for Mothman." Olivia chuckled again before continuing. "So, that just leaves you. You are my family, Huck so I am not going to abandon you. Fitz and Timmy are working on a plan to help us disappear, but I don't want that. I know this doesn't make sense, but I can't imagine leaving New York. Yes, I was all prepared to move to Rome, but deep down I didn't really want to. I was doing it for Harrison, I guess. Tim has accepted a job with the FBI which is surreal."

"Oh, I get it now. Timmy is the brother Huck told me about…the one who is paralyzed."

"Yes, that's the one who hired you. One day you'll have to tell us how he found you, Quinn, but now we need to strategize. What can we do with Harrison and Abby? They can't stay at my parent's house indefinitely. Timothy is liable to kill both of them... I am joking, of course," Olivia said.

They headed to the apartment Olivia had shared with Harrison. Olivia took Huck's hand. "Huck, Timmy is moving to New York soon. I want you to move in with him. Fitz told me that he won't move in with me so I was thinking that you would move in with him."

"Liv, I'll do anything you want. I just don't know if he'll go for it."

"I think you can talk him in to it."

* * *

Fitz took the steps two at a time up to the brownstone he shared with Mellie. He hadn't told her exactly what time he was coming home. She should be at work now. He wanted to get home before she did so he could get his head straight. That his parents and two brothers would be visiting soon was distressing. He was the oldest son, but still unmarried. His mother adored Mellie, but his father and brothers weren't as smitten. Fitz had no idea how he was going to entertain his family _and_ see Olivia. He'd find a way since seeing her was non-negotiable.

"Hi, sweetheart."

"Fitzgerald!"

A chorus voices rang out to greet Fitz when he opened the front door. Mellie rushed to him first, placing her hand on his chest and looking up at him with a grand smile. His stomach felt queasy when he saw his parents and brothers walk up to greet him.

"Son, for someone who's been working around the clock for the safety and security of this great nation, you look like you've been on vacation, and a good one at that!" his dad sad in a booming voice.

Fitz smiled slightly. At that moment he wanted to kill Mellie.

* * *

"Mellie, I don't understand why you invited them in the first place. You lied to me! I thought they weren't coming until a couple of days from now? I am still getting settled in my new job. I've been away for days so wouldn't you want to spend some alone time with me? I don't have time to entertain my family right now," Fitz said. He spoke in low but forceful tones to Mellie as he unpacked his duffel bag.

"Sweetheart, don't be upset. This will be a great bonding experience for us before the wedding," Mellie said. She observed Fitz closely as he moved around the room.

"How did Jonathan and Jared get their wives to agree to this? Mellie, did you think? My parents and my two grown brothers under the same roof for…how long are they staying now?"

"Four days, Fitz. Only four days."

Totally frustrated, Fitz whipped his t-shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. He knew Mellie hated when he did that. She was to busy admiring his chest to notice, "Don't ever do anything like this again without consulting me first."

He turned around and walked into the bathroom. Mellie gasped at the line of four, jagged scratches across his back.

"What is that on your back, Fitz?" Her eyes went cold as she stood behind him reflected in the large vanity mirror.

Fitz stood there in front of the mirror watching her watch him. Mellie's eyes flickered from his eyes to what she saw on his back. When he failed to respond, she snatched open the middle drawer and pulled out a large handheld mirror that she positioned so he could see what she referred to. He saw the four scratches just as clearly as his mind replayed a snapshot of Olivia's face last night, her expression changing from strained to slack as he made her come.

Fitz pushed away from the sink and turned to face Mellie. He took the mirror from her hand and placed it back in the drawer.

"Who are you screwing Mellie?" Fitz asked, taking steps forward until he had her trapped against the wall.

"What? Honey, I would never…could never be with anyone but you. I love you."

Fitz caressed her cheek and moved his hand down the length of her neck. He grasped the back of her neck and pulled her closer so that his mouth was only a breath away from hers. "You're lying, Mellie." He slid his other hand down her side and over the curve of her hip until he reached her thigh. He bunched the cloth of her dress in his hand and hiked up her dress. He jerked one of her legs up and ground his hips into hers so that she could feel his arousal. Mellie did not know that his arousal had nothing to do with her. Instead, it was a holdover from seeing the scratches on his back and remembering last night with Olivia.

"I've been gone for days. Didn't you think I would want to spend this time with the woman I love…making love to the woman I plan to marry? Obviously, you don't want me as much as I want you," he said as he slid one finger and then two into her. "You must be screwing someone else, right?"

"Ohhhh, yes, Fitz…I mean no…I don't want anyone else, but you. That feels… so good."

Fitz kept touching her. He wanted those scratches to be blotted from her mind.

"So you want me, Mellie?"

"Yes, Fitz. Yes."

"Will you cut this visit with my parents short?" he asked. He knew she was about to come.

"Okay," she breathed out just as her body buckled against him. Fitz pulled his fingers out of her and walked into the shower.

* * *

For a work shed, Timothy's was relatively comfortable. The floor had been done in a nice silver colored mat material. It was clean and spacious with central heating and air. The walls were outfitted with shelving systems on which he kept various parts and other gadgets he used for his projects. There was also a bathroom and a couple of chairs. Abby and Harrison were bound to the chairs with chains that had enough length to allow them to use the bathroom at will. It was one of those rare occasions during the 48 hours of their captivity that Timothy had left them alone.

"I hope you have snapped out of it, Harrison. Olivia is not coming to talk to you. She isn't going to call you. She is gone! We need to find a way to get out of here," Abby said. "Her brother can't keep us here much longer. We must do whatever it takes to get him to let us go."

Harrison sat there, unresponsive and morose. Abby looked around her chair for something to get his attention. She spotted a cup of water beside her chair that she had left unfinished.

"Abby! What's wrong with you?" Harrison gasped, unprepared for the deluge of water against his face.

"Did you hear me? How are we going to get out of here? Forget about her."

"I'm not thinking about her, damn it. I'm not thinking about anything. Leave me alone. This is all your damn fault!"

"How is this my fault?"

"Why couldn't you leave it alone? You had to keep picking at that tape. You should have left it alone. I wouldn't have the image of that damned FBI agent fucking her brains out burned into my memory. I wouldn't be chained to a chair at the mercy of crazy wheelchair man. Liv and I would still be together. This is all your fault."

Abby bent her bound hands together and propelled the empty cup at him.

"My fault? I didn't make her fuck that agent. From what I remember of that conversation you had in the car, Rome was not going to happen. The only thing I told you to do was come to Princeton. I thought you would appreciate knowing the truth about her. Obviously, I was wrong. She cut off your balls three years ago," Abby said with disgust.

At that moment, Timothy rolled around the corner.

"If I wasn't paralyzed, I'd give you both a standing ovation for the tragic comedy that is your lives. Until I heard your little exchange just now, I had no idea what to do with you, but now I know.

"Where are you taking us?" Abby asked.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Timothy replied smugly.

* * *

"I was thinking we could have brunch at the Russian Tea Room. I have a contact there so reservations are no problem. Fitz, what do you think, honey?" Mellie asked.

Fitz sat on the loveseat with his mother, Liz who held his hand. Fitz's mom treated him like he was a perpetual 10 year-old boy. He was the eldest of the three boys but she doted on him, which had been a point of contention between the brothers. Fitz never really understood why she gave him all the attention. He chalked it up to being her first born.

Big Gerry spoke before Fitz could weigh in. "That sounds nice, but I prefer to go to a diner or some dive restaurant. I would rather have good tasting food at a reasonable price than bland high priced finger food."

"Gerry, come on it's the Russian Tea Room. Maybe we will run into a celebrity, what do you think Fitzy?" Liz patted Fitz on the cheek.

"I'll do whatever you all want," Fitz answered. "Let Jared decide. He's the food man in the family. How's the restaurant business going?"

"Business is good. I'm thinking about opening another one, but Lisa already complains about how many hours I spend away from home," Jared said. "Mellie isn't on your case about being gone days at a time, but Lisa hates my 70 hours a week."

"Fitz is taking a bite out of crime," said Jonathan whose eyes didn't leave his phone. "You're just helping people to get a bite. We should check out _The Heavenly Dish Café and Grill_. This foodie finder's restaurant app gives it five stars. 'A wholesome family restaurant with superb American fare good for the soul and the wallet' is how the review reads."

Jared snatched Jonathan's phone from his hand. "Mellie, Fitz have you all been there? It's on 7th and Main."

"No. Fitz and I rarely venture outside of Manhattan. Sounds fine to me. Let's get going." Mellie hid her disappointment behind a bright smile. Fitz smiled too, but only because he thought about Olivia and the last time he was there with her.

* * *

Timothy sat across from his mom and dad. It was time to tell them he was moving, but he knew they would not approve. He had never lived away from them aside from his freshman year in college before the accident. It was time and past time for him to move on so that they could enjoy their life. He wanted them to be able to travel without having to consider him.

As Timothy thought about how to explain why he was leaving, the big lie about Olivia's true identity for the last 10 years was a serious roadblock. He couldn't say that he was leaving to help her escape that life. Lionel and Charlise Pope had no idea how broken and scarred Olivia was after the accident. Nor did they know how her brokenness had affected his life. One day he hoped Olivia would break this cycle of lying and tell them the truth.

"Harrison offered me a job in New York, and I'm taking it." Timothy continued reminding himself to say, 'Harrison' and not 'Grant.'

"You're taking a job in New York? I don't understand. Harrison is an art dealer. You don't like art, baby."

"I'll be helping with the technical side…museum security…websites…data systems…apparently he was impressed by what I've set up here. So I'll be moving before the end of the week."

"Son, I don't think you've thought this through. This is your home. If the job is technical, you can work from here. Your mother and I should have been consulted before you even considered something like this," said Lionel.

"Your father is right. Tell Harrison thanks, but no thanks. End of discussion," Charlise said with finality. She returned to her crossword puzzle.

"Dad, think fast," Timothy called out. He lifted both arms slowly and threw two quarters in the direction of his father. "Not as fast as I'd like, but I'm getting faster daily."

Charlise covered her mouth in shock.

"Tim, I know you might be upset, but don't throw things at me," Lionel said, angrily.

"Lionel, Timmy _threw_ those with both hands. How did you do that, Timmy? It this some trick or did you just raise both your hands over your head?" Charlise was standing and observing him in awe.

"Mom, Dad…this is not one of my gadget tricks. I can move my own arms." He moved them again to demonstrate.

"But the doctors said the damage was too extensive. It's a miracle. We have to get you in therapy. We have to tell Olivia." Charlise reached for the phone.

"She knows…"

"And she didn't tell us!" Charlise and Lionel said together.

"No. I told her not to tell you. Mom and Dad, I know its scary to think of me being out there in the world away from you, but I have to do this. I have to take this job. I'll start therapy in New York. Olivia will be there. It's time for you to travel like you've always dreamed. You never know. Maybe I'll meet a nice girl and have a couple of little Pope's." Tim added in the last sentence just for his mother even though he knew that was a pipe dream.

"Please give me your blessing. I need your support."

"Timmy, you're breaking my heart. This house won't be the same without you. Your happiness is our chief concern. You have my blessing." Charlise wrapped him in a hug.

"Dad?"

Lionel did not respond at first. Then he said. "Expect a visit from us at least once a month."

* * *

"Timmy! Now I know it's really true. You are moving to New York. I didn't think Mom and Dad would let you move out. I wish I could have seen Dad's face when you threw the quarters across the room."

Olivia fell back on the bed in the bedroom she used to share with Harrison. Huck and Quinn were helping her pack up her things to take to the brownstone.

"It was pretty funny," Tim said. "Where is Grant? I know he's not far."

"He has gone back to home. I have not seen or heard from him since he left this morning. I don't know where he is."

"I bet you cried like a little baby when he left and you've been checking your phone constantly."

"Little brother, you don't know me as well as you think you do. I have not had time to think about him." She had just checked the phone, hoping for a call.

"Liar. This is his first day back so just be cool." Tim knew she was anything but cool. "You will have to tell Mom and Dad the truth soon. It's only a matter of time before you forget to call Grant, Harrison."

"Here talk to Huck." Olivia pushed her phone to Huck, hoping he would be able to convince Tim to let him move in.

"Hey, Mothman…" Huck said.

Olivia laughed. She had forgotten to tease him about that name. Olivia felt the phone Fitz had given her buzz. Butterflies danced in her stomach. She felt like the proverbial girl waiting for the boy to call.

**Fitz: Hey beautiful. Miss me?**

Olivia felt impish and a little mad that he had not contacted her in the fours hours they'd been apart.

**Olivia: Hey Bobby. Of course I miss you.**

**Fitz: Who the hell is Bobby?**

**Olivia: Oops!** **Hi Fitz.**

**Fitz: Don't play with me like that. **

**Olivia: I don't play.**

**Fitz: No need to make me jealous. There will be consequences. **

Olivia felt a spasm of arousal course through her body.

**Fitz: Where are you?**

**Olivia: At my old place with Huck and Quinn. You?**

**Fitz: You'll never guess.**

**Olivia: No idea. Come on!**

**Fitz: Heavenly Dish Café **

**Olivia: Why? With whom?**

**Fitz: For brunch with Mellie and my mom, dad AND brothers. **

**Olivia: Why there of all places?**

**Fitz: My brother's idea. Go Figure. Wish you were here. Gotta go. Table is ready. See you tonight. I love you.**

**Olivia: Me too. **

Olivia could not wait until tonight. She was restless. She wanted to see him.

"Sounds good, Tim. Do you want to speak to Liv?" Huck glanced at Olivia who was lost in thought on the bed. He handed her the phone.

"Hey, stay out of trouble, little sister," Tim said into the phone.

"Timmy, I'm the eldest. You stay out of trouble," Liv said before hanging up.

"Huck, when was the last time my face was broadcast on TV or in print?" Olivia asked.

"2005 and 2007, both times on _American's Most Wanted_, _Dateline_, and _20/20_," Huck said with rapid fire precision.

"How was my hair?"

"You had those twisty things in one picture and the other was with a long brown wig."

"What are you thinking about, Liv?" Quinn asked. She was excited at the prospect of whatever Olivia was planning.

"I want to make sure I don't raise suspicion when I go out. It is highly unlikely that someone will notice me unless they were specifically assigned to my case. Huck, wouldn't you say I am safe to get a bite to eat at a restaurant?"

"You're safe, but I can get something for you if you need me to."

"I can get something for you too, Liv." Quinn parroted.

"No. It's fine. I want to get something to eat and sit alone to think. Did Tim say he would let you move in with him when he moves to New York, Huck?"

"Yes. Convincing him was easier than we both thought. He has something in mind, but I'll let him explain. Where are you going?"

"I'm not sure yet. I'll have my cell phone if you need me. "

Olivia left Quinn and Huck so she could change in the bathroom. There was still the problem of Harrison and Abby to attend to. She had failed to ask Tim about them. All she could think about was Fitz and what he was doing at _Heavenly Dish._ She changed into the most nondescript, drab clothes she could find. Looking in the mirror she was satisfied with the effect. She wore baggie blue jean shorts, a grey tank top under a white pullover that had the arms cut off, and white deck shoes. After pulling her hand into a ponytail, she topped it off with a baseball cap and sunglasses.

"If I add a backpack, I'll have the preoccupied college student look mastered. He won't be able to recognize me," Olivia said aloud. "I'll leave this phone at the brownstone so he'll think I am there. With a self-satisfied smile, she left the room.

* * *

The server took everyone's order, collected their menus, and left the table. Fitz could not wait until tonight. He was restless. He wanted to see her now. The tracker application he activated on his cell phone showed her at the brownstone. _How fast could I get there if left now? What excuse could I give?_

"Fitzgerald, put that phone away and tell us about your new job," Big Gerry said.

"It's primarily management, dad. All the directors of each field office report to me and I coordinate major investigations."

"Sounds like a lot of paper pushing to me. You'll miss the fieldwork, son. Cyrus must have big plans for you." Big Gerry laughed and patted Fitz on the back.

"Let's hope so. Fitz deserves the best and he's certainly earned it. I have always encouraged him to run for public office, but he loves the Bureau. I think he could go all the way. What do you think, Liz?"

"I agree, Mellie. He could go all the way if he wanted to." Liz and Mellie looked at Fitz expectantly. Fitz, not understanding, looked from his father to his brother's faces. They each looked away.

"Who had the blueberry pancakes?" Two servers appeared and started doling out their orders.

Fitz raised his hand to claim the pancakes. "I have zero interest in politics as you all know. President of the Student Government Association in college was the extent of my political aspirations. I do not want to think how long ago that has been."

"That is what I have told your mom and your fiancé here, but they will not give it a rest. It is time to spill the beans," Big Gerry said, looking hungrily at his Colorado omelet.

"Spill the beans about what? " Fitz put down his fork and knife and glared at Mellie who was looking impatiently at Big Gerry.

"Well, sweetheart, I had not planned to mention this today, but I think you should run for office. There is a seat open in the 12th congressional district. Congresswoman Rosalind Maloney does not plan to run for reelection. She has already agreed to endorse you, Fitz. All you have to do is say you are interested. I was thinking that we could push the wedding up to next month. I have already spoken with everyone. It is a done deal if I say the word. I spoke with Cyrus too. This will not interfere with your job," Mellie said. She squeezed Fitz's hand.

"Is that why you all are here…to help Mellie gang up on me so I will give in to this foolheaded idea?" Fitz asked calmly. He snatched his hand from Mellie's grasp.

"Son, I plead the fifth on this one. I am here to visit and congratulate my eldest son on his promotion in the highest law enforcement agency in the nation. As a retired detective, this is all gravy for me. As far as I am concerned, you have arrived. My advice is to do what makes you happy." Big Gerry forked a healthy portion of his omelette in his mouth.

"We think you should run. What is there to lose? With Mellie by your side, you two can go far…as far as The White House. You are going to need all of our support. Mellie's dad will help of course. He's the governor of Iowa after all." Liz squeezed his other hand.

"Jonathan and Jared, you two knew about this set up and did not warn me?" Fitz asked.

Only Jonathan looked up from his meal. "We both plead the fifth too. We will support whatever you decide to do."

Fitz still had not taken a bite of his food. He was livid about Mellie's highhandedness. What she had done was manipulative and controlling. He looked around at his mother and Mellie who were waiting for his response. Jonthan and Jared were both eating and fidgeting with their cell phones. Big Gerry was enjoying his omelet. He decided not to say a word. He needed to calm down first. He cut a triangle into his pancakes, speared it with his fork, and placed them in his mouth. He let his eyes trail around the restaurant. He would give anything to be with Olivia right now.

Olivia sat across the restaurant beside the dessert and pastry display case. There was a small table there that gave her a direct view of Fitz's table. For the last 30 minutes she had been surveiling their table. The bill of her cap was pulled low and she kept her menu just at her nose. It had been easy to identify everyone. Mellie looked like the perfect little wife in her royal blue sundress. Watching the way Fitz and Mellie interacted had been interesting. They never touched each other. Fitz sat between his mom and dad. Once their food came, Olivia saw Mellie reach out and grab his hand. He pulled it back. He had not smiled the entire time she had been observing them.

Sitting there watching them eventually made Olivia feel like an intruder. She started to wonder if it could really work between them given all the obstacles. But the one thing she knew for sure was that she loved him and wanted him. It was inexplicable. This was the thought going through her mind as she stared at him. He was finally eating his food. She watched him chew the pancakes swallow and then take a sip from his mug. Olivia liked the way he chewed his food, slowly and with a purpose. She thought about last night and that cooking lesson which made her close her eyes to savor that memory. _It is time to get out of here, _she thought. She opened her eyes and met his intense gaze. _Oh no, he didn't see me did he?_

Fitz chewed slowly enjoying the pancakes, which were actually very tasty. He took deep breaths and observed the patrons in the restaurant. He could never go anywhere without getting a look at his surroundings and the people in them. He had already done a sweep of the room when they arrived. He did it again as a way to calm down. The crowd had grown. There was a group of people celebrating a birthday at the tables to his right. The smaller tables that would normally hold two people now held three. There was a little boy standing in front of the dessert and pastry display case with his face stuck to the glass. He was licking the glass. Fitz then noticed a small table next to the case where a young woman sat. Her hat was pulled low and even though the menu was in front of her face her eyes were closed. He knew before he really knew that it was Olivia.

"Livy?" he whispered under his breath. Her eyes opened and it was like she was under a spotlight. He saw her flash of recognition. She turned her head quickly.

Fitz's anger fell away like water down his back.

"I am sorry you came all this way for nothing. I am not running for public office, ever. It is unfortunate that Mellie did not consult with me before talking to some many other people. The wedding will not be pushed up either. After this little stunt, Mellie, I'm not even sure if a wedding should happen at all. I'm going to get some dessert. Does anyone want anything?"

"I would say yes, but your mom will not allow me after this omelet," Big Gerry said, pushing the omelet plate away. Fitz left the table and headed for the desert case.

Olivia saw him walking towards her. Her limbs felt heavy. She could not move even thought the door was close. Still clinging to the impossible notion that he had not seen her, she bent her head low over her purse in search of nothing in particular.

Fitz stopped at her table, but faced away from her eyeing the desserts.

He spoke low, barely moving his lips. "Too bad I cannot have my favorite dessert now."

A little smirk appeared on her lips, "That can be arranged. Follow me to the back."

Before he could respond, Olivia collected her bag and walked away. Fitz followed keeping a respectable distance. He stopped at his table.

"I did not see a dessert in the case I wanted. I am going to use the bathroom and then we can leave."

Mellie still looked horrified at what he had said before. Liz was consoling her.

By the time he reached the back hallway Olivia had disappeared. He passed the ladies' room as a woman came out. The back emergency exit door was in his sights so he had no where else to turn but back around. A hand appeared in his left peripheral vision. It pulled him behind a door marked, 'Authorized Personnel Only.'

They grabbed for each other in the darkness of the supply closet slamming up against the wall. Olivia let out a small moan, which Fitz quieted with his mouth on hers. He rubbed his tongue against hers and nipped at her top and bottom lips. Olivia opened her mouth wider wanting his tongue deeper.

Fitz reached for her belt. She pulled his shirt out of his pants and slid her arms under his shirt.

"Hurry!" she whispered.

Something in her voice made him stop. Grasping her wrists, he pulled her arms behind her back. It was quiet except for their labored breathing.

"Fitz, what are you doing? Why did you stop?"

He felt for a light switch and flicked it on. The overhead light shone too brightly over their eyes that had already adjusted to the darkness.

"We should not do this, Livy. It is too dangerous. You should not be here now."

"Why? I wanted to see you. I thought you wanted to see me too. You told me you were here."

"I plan to see you tonight, baby. We are more than just a quick lay in a closet. If we keep doing this, it is going to jeopardize everything. We have to use our heads, Livy."

Her wounded expression caused him to reach for her face. "I think about you constantly. I want you right now, but I cannot risk Mellie or my family finding out about us. I will not risk your safety. Where is the phone I gave you? You left it at the brownstone to throw me off…so I would think you were there, didn't you? You cannot do that. I have to know where you are at all times to keep you safe."

She pulled away from him. "Do not touch me. How do I know that you are really trying to be with me? I think you want to keep me on the side as your little secret. If I stay quiet in your brownstone then that will not risk your life with Mellie. You have probably already had sex with her haven't you?"

Fitz turned away.

"Haven't you?" she asked again.

"No…not exactly. She saw what you did to my back, Liv so I distracted her, but we didn't have sex."

"You are really good at distracting. We are done!" Olivia reached for the door but he slammed it shut.

"You are upset. I understand, but we are not done. This is not over."

"Move your hand so I can go. I am sure your fiancé and family are waiting."

"There is no sense in trying to run away. I'll find you."

Without a backwards glance, she left him standing there.

* * *

Olivia felt much better. After leaving the restaurant, she had been on edge. The only place she could work off some steam was with Huck in their practice ring.

"Liv, we need to stop. You are going to hate yourself in the morning when your muscles are screaming for mercy. Is everything okay?"

She collapsed in the ring to catch her breath. "Now it is. Thanks Huck. I really needed this. I do my best thinking when I am fighting. I am going to Princeton tonight to see Tim. I need a favor."

"Anything, Liv."

"I need you to go to the brownstone and get my things. I will give you the key. When you get my things just leave the key there," Olivia said.

"Why?"

Olivia didn't answer. She continued stretching.

"How can I say this…Fitz and I…we broke up."

"You broke up? What does that mean?"

"Huck…I am not going to talk about this. We were together and now we are not. So there it is done."

"He must not agree with this break up if you cannot get your own stuff or give him the key in person."

"He agrees. The break up is mutual. I need to get to Princeton. Huck, you said anything...you would do anything. Please take care of this for me. Please?"

"What if he's there and asks about you?"

"Act like you do not know. Tell him I am either at my old place or at Quinn's apartment." Olivia gave Huck a peck on the cheek.

Olivia felt better about breaking it off with Fitz not simply because she had blown off steam with Huck. She also had a plan. Whenever she felt out of control, forming a good plant helped her regain her footing. This plan involved her moving to Princeton, letting Harrison and Abby go, and helping Tim with his therapy. The plan did not include Fitz.

* * *

Olivia turned into the long driveway of the Pope estate. She waved to Timmy who she knew was watching her on the surveillance camera. Thoughts of Fitz rolled one upon the other in her mind as she pulled around the front cul de sac. The last time she'd been home, Fitz had been with her. Now he was not.

The front light switched on as she ascended the front steps.

"Olivia, I am so happy you two made it back so soon. I am not as mad at him for stealing Timmy away to New York."

Olivia let her mom envelop her in a hug even though her words did not make much sense. _Who is she talking about?_ It felt good to be home. She hugged her mom tightly.

"Come on in. You all should have come down together."

Olivia walked through the door and her mom's comments made sense now. Fitz sat on the sofa sipping a beer and flipping through the channels. Timmy was in his wheelchair beside the sofa. He looked from Fitz to Olivia and rolled his eyes. Fitz and Olivia just stared at each other.

"Olivia, there is chili on the stove. Help yourself. Your dad and I are watching SouthLAnd." Charlise disappeared up the stairs.

Olivia and Fitz continued to stare at each other.

"This is why I would not move in with you Olivia. You two are one big hot mess. Please get your shit together…excuse my truth…but we have bigger fish to fry. What we do not have time for are these cat and mouse games you two are playing. Liv grow a pair and let Fitz handle this situation. If you two cannot handle this, you shouldn't have started it. We have two idiots to handle in the shed. I can't do this alone. I have decided what to do with them. We all have to be on the same page. Once you have kissed and made up, we can get back on track. I will be in the kitchen." Timothy rolled away.

They did not break their gaze. Olivia walked over and sat beside him on the sofa.

* * *

Mellie was distraught. Fitz was gone and she had not had a chance to explain. The brunch had not gone as planned. She laid the blame soundly at the feet of Fitz's blockhead of a father, Big Gerry. He had thrown a monkey wrench in her plans by suggesting they go to another restaurant. Then he had pushed the issue and made Mellie tell Fitz about her plans prematurely. Thankfully his family had gone back home.

Mellie paced the floor trying to find a solution to her problem.


	7. Keep Your Enemies Close

**Chapter 7**

**Keep Your Enemies Close**

* * *

Olivia maintained her poker face when she sat down beside him on the sofa. If this was going to be a staring contest, then she was going to win. Her speedy heartbeat and the butterflies in her stomach both be damned.

_How dare you be here right now! _ She tried to convey this thought angrily with her eyes, but she was not sure if her glare came off as more longing than anything else. All she really wanted to do was jump on his lap and press her lips against his. At that very moment, he took a long swig of beer. His lips could have easily been drawing on her nipple, which was kind of tingling right now.

_Why was everything about him so sexy?_ His jaw was strong and masculine. His hairline was perfect. His neck…She wanted to take a whiff of his hair. The desire to do so was was so insane right now when she was this irritated with him. Olivia's thoughts rushed through her mind quickly. To her it seemed like they had been staring at each other for a long while.

What Fitz perceived was more realistic. She sat down beside him trying to look upset, but he knew better. He was sure he saw her slightly shocked look upon first seeing him turn to relief. After Tim left the room he had wanted to touch her. Instead he drank the remainder of his beer and waited for her to make the first move, but she did nothing.

He moved forward not touching her with his hands. He rubbed his cheek against hers. A moan escaped from her lips.

"You have to trust me. You cannot run away like that," he whispered again her lips, their foreheads pressed together.

"Fitz…I…" she could not finish what she was trying to say because she needed to kiss him right now. She cupped the jaws she had admired earlier and pulled his lips to hers.

They kissed slowly and leisurely, forgetting where they were. Fitz pulled her onto his lap without breaking the kiss.

"Enough, you two," Timothy hissed. They stopped kissing but did not move. "I give you an inch and you take a mile. Meet me in my room so we can discuss the plan," Tim said. He rolled away and down the hall.

They smiled at each other and resumed kissing. His hands were under her blouse now, fingers brushing across her back in search of the clasp. She grabbed his hands and pulled them around to the front. Her breasts spilled out of her bra after she felt the material go tight and then loosen as he unsnapped it. They both grabbed the hem of her blouse and pulled it over her head. He laid her back on the sofa. He licked up the rise of her breast and around until his mouth closed over her nipple. He sucked hard. She squeezed the handful of his hair that was in her grasp.

"That is for running away."

He repeated the same thing on her other breast. She arched her back against his mouth.

Their phones buzzed at the same time. They instantly knew it was Tim. They didn't bother to answer. He pulled her up and snapped her bra closed.

"We will finish this conversation later, Agent Grant."

* * *

"You are what, Timmy? Of all the idiotic and reckless ideas, you could come up with. You _cannot _take Harrison and Abby with you to New York. Why would you want to move them in with you? It is an insane idea. That is why you accepted Huck's offer so quickly. You want him to help babysit them, don't you? I am living in that brownstone too. Harrison hates me and only a little bit less than Abby," Olivia said, unwilling to budge from her position.

"Liv, your blouse is on inside out so you have totally lost credibility to tell me what is idiotic and reckless. And lower your voice just in case Mom and Dad are walking around outside."

"Tim, lay off Olivia. She does have a point. Your idea is crazy. Please enlighten us. What are you thinking?" Fitz asked. He pulled Olivia on his lap so she could stop pacing and listen.

"Have you not heard the saying, 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?' This has to be our strategy with our enemies. We have to know where they are and what they are doing at all times. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Harrison and Abby and are not our enemies," Timothy explained to Fitz's and Olivia's confused expressions. "Right now they are loose cannons, which for the sake of this argument, we will call faux enemies. I can bring them around in time. Be patient and keep listenting. Mellie is a real enemy. It's 9:30 and I know exactly where Harrison and Abby are. Fitz, where is Mellie? What is she doing? Fitz, you need to go back to Mellie. Play the role of the doting fiancé. Harrison and Abby will come with me, but Olivia will have to help me convince them _not _to run away.

Tim stopped his diatribe so they could digest it all.

Olivia spoke first. "Timmy. I am not convinced about the plan for Harrison and Abby, but we can keep talking. As for Fitz going back to Mellie, it is not going to happen if he wants to be with me." Olivia turned in Fitz's lap and finished her statement so he could see and hear the challenge in her voice.

Fitz stared back at her with his own challenge. "I hope you mean that Olivia because I broke off the engagement before I came here. You will not have any more reasons to run away from us. Unless you invent some, which is likely knowing you."

She frowned at him. "You make me sound like a scared little girl."

He twisted a lock of her hair between his fingers. "You are not a little girl, but you are scared of me, scared of us, scared of how I make you feel, scared that you love me so much in a short time…" He prevented her from moving when she tried to leave his lap. "See there you go again, run, run, run…"

"In my opinion, Fitz should continue with the engagement charade. Obviously you two do not agree with me because neither of you have self-control when it comes to the other. You are like vinegar and baking soda.

* * *

"Grant, this arrangement is seriously cramping my style," Tim muttered in frustration as he slammed the passenger side door to Fitz's black sedan. Fitz rarely drove his SUV since it was easier for Tim to maneuver in and out of the sedan that was lower to the ground.

Fitz did not respond to Tim's comment. His eyes were on Tim's hands as he flexed his fingers repeatedly. "Is the numbness still there?"

"No, just a little spasm. It happens sometimes when I make sudden movements like that, but my physical therapist says it should go away. I swear she is causing them. She is such a task master."

"She must know what she is talking about since you have made tremendous progress these last two months. Olivia showed me an article about a guy in LA who received treatment that allowed him to regain the use of his legs, some bladder, and sexual function," Fitz explained as he drove through the parking deck.

"My sister would do anything to get out of giving our parents grandchildren, including making her paralyzed brother cured so he can make some little Popes and get married. Not in that order. They have been putting pressure on her since they met you. As far as they are concerned, you two have been together for three years and it is past time, _Harrison_." Tim said purposely using that name.

"That is the name that shall not be mentioned ever again. When your parents visited last month, Olivia mistakenly called me 'Fitz' in front of them. She saved quickly by explaining 'Harrison' as my middle name and Fitzgerald as my first. I am glad they finally call me Fitz now. Charlise and Lionel have a long wait for holy matrimony and kids. She has already informed me of her intentions and I quote, "I will never marry or procreate with you."

Fitz remembered that day. He had moved all his belongings from Mellie's and the last of Olivia's things from her old place.

"_We are officially living under the same roof, baby." He had plopped down on the sofa and pulled her onto his lap. She looked him in the eyes and said matter of factly, "Fitz, just to be clear, I will never marry or procreate with you, even if we can make this work, so if you have any objections voice them now."_

_Her words had been random and unprompted, but he did not say a word. She looked a little frightened and uneasy which was very different from the challenge in her voice. _

"_We should go check on Tim," Fitz had said, kissing her on the nose. He left her sitting on the couch stewing._

"Is that what she said? You know she was talking to herself more so than you. She was daring you to protest. You did not, did you?"

"Oh no. I would not dare. It really caught me by surprise. I know when she is intentionally trying to pick a fight with me. I ignored her," Fitz said. "So how am I cramping your style, Tim? You have everyone eating out of your hands at the Bureau. You are just too damn smart for your own good. I just knew you were going to piss everyone off, but they all respect you personally and professionally."

"I would not quite put it that way. They are just dependent on me to clear up their messes or cover their asses with their arrogant asshole of a boss. I never pegged you for an asshole, Grant, but you run the Bureau like a military unit. Must you chew out someone so royally every day? They think if they kiss my ass, that is a pardon deposit for some future screw up." Tim said with a mixture of bitterness and acceptance.

"It comes with the job description. The first thing Cyrus told me was to be an asshole. That is the only way the agents will do what they are told. In this job, we cannot afford to have any anarchists…unless of course you are in charge like me. They have to know who is in charge…no grey areas. But they buy our relationship because of the genius way you constructed it," Fitz said.

"They best way to hide one scandal is to invent another one in its place. You recruited me right out of college, took me out drinking, hit a pole, and boom your new recruit is paralyzed. Because of your guilty conscience, you gave me this job since now as the deputy director you can pretty much do what you want…Yes, genius. All this to cover up you know what. But I think you are a natural arrogant asshole, Grant, now that I have observed you in the real world. That is why I will never understand how you allowed that to happen with my sister at The Met. You went from asshole to pushover in three seconds. How is that? But wait. I don't want to know," Tim said. "No woman would ever make me lose my head like that, not that I will ever have a chance to find out…"

"I would not be so hasty to say that because of two words, Tim. Helen Tate," Fitz said with a smirk.

"Oh here we go again. I am not nor will I ever be interested in Helen Tate or any woman. And I will never forgive you for telling Liv about her or the incident. She asks me about her every day. It is annoying as hell. Helen Tate is a friend who just happens to be the perfect woman, but not for me. I would never date an able-bodied woman or any woman for that matter. That part of my life is shut down and I am okay with that. My life is full enough and filled with cheap thrills, chief among them, you and my sister. Now that you are with my sister and I am working for you, I will never have a dull day," said Tim looking out the window at the flickering lights.

The Incident is what Fitz called it, the first time Tim met Helen. During the first week of Tim's job at the Bureau, he was either in meetings or being introduced to staff. He had met most everyone but those agents out on assignment. Special Agent Helen Tate was one who had been away. The day she had returned Tim was sitting in the briefing room listening to Fitz drone on and on in his monthly state of the Bureau address.

_Tim counted the heads of those who looked to be dozing off. Then he decided to test out the movement in his hand by picking up his cup of coffee. At the same time, Helen walked into the auditorium flanked by to other people. Tim lifted his head at the slight noise of the door opening. When he saw her, he was mesmerized. It was not the way she was dressed that moved him since her out fit was standard issue Bureau dress, a nondescript, dull colored suit. Hers was dark blue and fitted in all the right places. Her hair was pulled back in simple bun. She had to be 6 feet tall with her heels, sporting the longest legs he had ever seen. She walked down the long aisle like it was the catwalk at fashion week. Her face held a slightly disinterested expression while at the same time looking apologetic for being late. _

"_I would normally ask Agents Tate, Miller, and Watson to excuse themselves for being late to this very important meeting. But I will give them a pass this time since their excellent work on Operation Illwind has led to an end to the defense procurement fraud that has been so rampant in our military. There were hundreds of agents working on this case, but their leadership has resulted in the arrest of 75 consultants, contractors, and government officials. Just yesterday, they worked with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service to arrest a high-ranking Pentagon assistant secretary and a deputy assistant secretary of the Navy," Fitz announced. "Congratulations." _

_Everyone clapped as the agents walked to their seats. Helen walked to Tim's row where his chair set in the aisle. _

"_Is this seat taken?" she whispered, bending close with her mouth to his ear. _

_Tim was still holding his coffee cup in his hand. When she got so close, he felt an unfamiliar stirring in his lower region. Taken totally by surprise, he dropped his coffee in his lap. Because he was paralyzed, he did not feel the burning coffee, so his subsequent emission of "What the Fuck!" did not make much sense. Everyone looked at him when they heard him. No one knew that his unfortunate bellow had to do with what he felt tighten in his pants and not the coffee or the embarrassment of dropping it._

"_Oh, I'm sorry. Did I do that? I can be such a clutzy maniac when I want to," Helen said looking horrified and searching for a napkin._

"_Excuse me," Tim mumbled before pressing the button to turn his chair around. He wheeled himself out of the auditorium and to the nearest bathroom while Fitz looked on worriedly from the podium. _

_Later that day, she had stopped by his office to apologize._

"_I hate to bother you, Tim, but I have to apologize. I did not mean to make you spill your coffee," she said looking sincerely sorrowful._

"_It was totally my fault, Agent Tate. It slipped from my hands. I have recently regained movement in my arms and I am still a little shaky. Please do not apologize," Tim explained. He admired her smooth brown skin and full lips as she spoke. _

"_Thanks for being so gracious. Please call me Helen," she said taking a seat. "You are sure you are okay? I do not want to do anything to get on Grant's bad side, although he does not not seem to have but one side…all bad."_

_Tim had smiled at that. "Shit!" Helen said, "Did I say that out loud? Please do not tell him. He already chewed me out for going over budget on our case. We were surprised when he complimented us during his address this morning. He never does that. Even though he just became deputy, Beene made him de facto deputy almost almost a year."_

"_You have nothing to worry about. People around here think Grant and I are friends. We are not. He recruited me years ago and gave me this job. That is it. It may seem like charity because of the accident, but I am more than qualified."_

"_Everyone says you are cool. We were all worried you would be as much of an arrogant ass as he is. I do have a question, though. You are paralyzed from the waist down, right?" Helen asked._

"_Yes and no. I was a partial paraplegic with some limited use of my arms. I have regained full movement in both arms so I guess I am paralyzed from the waist down now." Tim explained as he tried to figure out the color of her eyes, either light brown or hazel. _

"_Why did you say, "What the Fuck" when the coffee spilled on your lap? It was as if you felt it?" She asked narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously. _

_Tim was still conflicted about what had happened. He knew that he did not feel the coffee, but the sensation before he dropped the coffee had felt real. He knew it was not possible for him to stand, much less to get an erection. He was paralyzedsto it had to be a figment of his imagination. He answered in his classic manner._

"_I may be paralyzed, but I am not blind. I saw the spill and reacted in kind. I resent you thinking anything else. What would I have to gain for pretending to be paralyzed? I would challenge you or any agent in this building to spend a day in my chair. You would all crumble."_

_She looked horrified all over again. "I apologize. Please forgive me. I cannot seem to stop putting my foot in my mouth. Everyone is talking about you and Grant hiring you. We are all conspiracy theorists at heart. We would not put it past Grant to bring you in to spy on us," she explained quickly. _

After the Incident, he and Helen had forged a simple friendship. They occasionally had lunch as he did with other agents. She even asked his opinion on guys she dated. Their relationship was uncomplicated and unfettered. This is how Timothy wanted it to remain. He thought this as he and Fitz drove down the streets of New York.

"Tim, I know you are keeping something from me where Agent Tate is concerned. I know you see her as more than an occasional lunch date. One day I know you will tell me. I am pretty patient so I will be waiting."

"Grant, save your patience for Liv. It is better placed with her. I am sure she is none to happy that you are coming home so late tonight. She's texted me twice since you seem to be ignoring hercalls. She needs a job or something to do. These last two months have been pretty quiet. No drama with Liv, Mellie, Harrison, or Abby. It is time for something to hit the fan. This is not Timmy being the messenger of doom, but this is just the natural course of things. Murphy's Law. No one understands why you, who recently called off his engagement, walks around like he just won a million dollars, of course that extra pep in your step hasn't affected your shittyness. But that happiness is not going to last much longer. Our number is up for some serious upheaval soon. It is best to prepared. It's just smart. So no more talk about Agent Tate and me. She is hot, but if it were possible, I could not afford to invite anyone into my life right now, which is crazier than fiction. It is all a very delicate balance we are keeping here. Any addition could cause it to blow up in our face."

"Okay, Tim. I will not say anything else. I am not naïve, I know things in my life are far from settled just because Liv and I are living together. Problems are inevitable, but I am pretty certain that they will not be the _same_ problems. Mellie has moved on. It has been two months and she had finally stopped calling me. According to my sources Harrison and Abby are settling in in Brisbane. Abby is a fitness instructor and Harrison is a museum docent. They are doing okay. I really could care less as long as they stay away from Liv."

"If only that museum knew that their tour guide used to still art for a living," Tim said. "How ironic."

"It is not an Art museum, but a museum of natural history and science," Fitz explained. "We are finally home."

Fitz pulled up the sedan up to the brownstone. He pulled Tim's chair from the trunk and helped him out of the car. They ascended the newly constructed ramp and entered the door.

"Here's to hoping you are not too far in the dog house with my sister tonight. You really should give her a low level, unclassified case to work on. It will make your life a lot easier," Tim said as he rolled down the hallway.

Fitz unlocked the door and stepped inside slowly. "Livy?"

He never knew what to expect when coming home. Sometimes he was welcomed by the smell of the charred remains of some culinary creation gone wrong. At other times he found her entertaining Huck and Quinn. They would be playing cards or discussing the best strategy for breaking into a museum for this or that work of art. Thankfully, they had never attempted it since OPs was now defunct. One day he found her snooping around his computer files that linked to his work computer. She had confessed that Huck had helped her hack into the system. "I just want to see what cases are hot right now," she had explained sheepishly.

He warned Huck never to hack into his computer under penalty of law, but that had not stopped Olivia. He had his laptop set so that 5 unsuccessful login attempts would trigger an alarm and a total wipe of his hard drive after a picture of his face appeared on the screen and an alert sounded repeating the phrase, "You are busted, Olivia Pope." He liked it the best when she set up a seduction scene for him. Once she greeted him propped on the sofa, wearing one of his ties and nothing else.

"Welcome home, dear," she said imitating Vivian played by Julia Roberts from _Pretty Woman_.

"Nice tie," he said playing the role of Edward like Richard Gere.

"I got it for you," she had responded.

The times she got creative in that way always made him late for work the next morning to the consternation of Timothy who was a stickler for punctuality.

"Yeah babe, I'm in here. You finally made it home. Thanks for not answering the damn phone," Liv called out from the bedroom. "What is so important that you could not return my calls? It is 11 at night."

Olivia was sitting on the bed, knees pulled up under her chin, pointing the remote at the TV and flipping through the channels mindlessly. Leaning against the door, he could not help but smile looking at her tense form in his bed. He started unbuttoning his shirt. "I apologize. Every time you called someone was in my office. It will not happen again."

"Do not make promises you cannot keep," she said standing on the bed and walking across it to him. She wore one of his t-shirts, which was his second favorite nighttime apparel for her to wear to bed.

Fitz met her at the bed before she could step down. He pulled her close for a hug. He inhaled her familiar scent and ran his hands along her back. He grasped her waist and let her slide down his body until they were face to face. She held on but not out of necessity because he held her tight as her feet dangled by his shins. He smiled. She smiled back and leaned in to kiss him. He loosened his hold slightly and she slid further down his body, stopping when her feet touched the floor. She reached for his belt, but he brushed her hands away. She reached for the hem of his t-shirt that hung around her body, but he grabbed her wrists. She reached for the waistband of her underwear, but he stopped her. Olivia pulled back in confusion.

"What is the rush?" he said with a little smirk on his face.

She rolled her eyes and grabbed his collar to pull him down on top of her on the bed. They resumed their kissing. He kissed her slowly, but her mouth moved hastily over his.

"Turn over on your back," she said.

"No," he said against her ear. When she felt his tongue lick behind her ear she knew she was in for a long night. It was not that she did not want to let him kiss every inch of her. She was anxious to talk to him about what she had uncovered. When he arrived home she was hoping for a quickie so they could talk. He was always more relaxed after they made love so that is how she wanted him, comfortable and relaxed. She could tell that he was in the mood for a long drawn out session where he squeezed every ounce of passion and as a result all the energy from her body. Tonight she was more focused on talking to him about her discoveries.

"What's wrong, Livy? Just relax, baby," he said against her belly button. Olivia sat up and scooted back against the headboard.

"Fitz, we need to talk."

He grabbed both her ankles and pulled back down on the bed. He had that determined look she knew well so she could not prepare him for what she had to say. She just decided to say it.

"Quinn, Huck, and me have been following Mellie and she is up to something, Fitz."

The tongue on her leg stopped its ascent up her inner thigh. "What?"

"Suspend your judgment and listen," she said excitedly now that she had shifted his attention. She sat cross-legged in the middle of the bed to explain. "One day I was hanging out with Huck and Quinn. There was a story on TV about a woman who sued her husband's mistress for "alienation of affection." She won a $9 million settlement. Can you believe that? Quinn said jokingly that it was a good thing Mellie did not know who I was because she could prosecute me for actual theft of her fiancé during a heist. We had a good laugh, but that got me to thinking more about her. You said she was never convinced that you broke it off because you were mad about her wanting you to run for office. You said she was convinced that you were seeing someone else and that you left her to be with that woman. I started to think how she abruptly stopped harassing you. I thought maybe she was trying to find me…well not me specifically, but whomever you are with. So Huck and Quinn helped me to keep an eye on her," Olivia stopped her explanation to see his reaction.

He looked a little grumpy, but he was listening.

"At first it was pretty boring. She went to her office, then to court, and then back home. We thought it was strange that she never visited any wedding related stores to cancel the plans…"

"Maybe she called to cancel, Livy. There are other ways to communicate," Fitz said. He was up from the bed undressing.

"We thought that too so we checked the schedule of weddings at St. John's Cathedral. Yours is still on the books. We checked with your florist, bakery, and honeymoon destination. None of the plans have been cancelled," Olivia said now up on her knees in the bed.

"How did you know about all those wedding plans? I did not know the vendors she chose for any of those things," Fitz asked, thought he already knew the answer to this question because he knew her. "Livy, I could shake you right now. You, Huck, and Quinn broke into her house, didn't you!" he screamed grasping her by her upper arms. "Your asses could have been caught! Is that what you want? Do you want to go to prison, Olivia?"

"No, Fitz! Stop screaming at me. I am not finished. I know what we did was risky, but it was worth what we found out. Stop manhandling me and listen," Olivia pleaded raising her voice raised as high as his.

He let her go and she bounced back on the bed. "After we discovered that she had not canceled any plans, we started following her. Before you blow a gasket, I never got close to her. Quinn and Huck got close. The average person on the street has no idea who I am or Huck for that matter. I won't go into the details of our surveillance but we found out that she has someone named Joline following you around. She follows you from work to home some nights. Fitz, she now knows that you live here, at the brownstone. We are pretty confident that she has not seen you and me together, but I know she has seen you and Tim. It is only a matter of time before she and Joline find out about us. We think you should contact her and set up a meeting. Maybe you can see what she wants or find out her plans." Olivia observed Fitz. He was not responding to anything she said. He just looked angry.

"Fitz! Say something please. I know you are mad, but we had to do it. She is planning to surprise us with something. Baby, say something!"

"How could you be so stupid? Mellie is a criminal prosecutor and you break into her house. I am sleeping in the other room tonight before I do or say something I regret." Fitz turned and walked out of the bedroom.

"Stupid? You cannot call me stupid," Olivia walked off the bed to follow him. "You are stupid for thinking she was going to give up so easily."

"Do you even hear what you are saying Olivia? You gave me a fucking ultimatum remember? Either I leave Mellie cold turkey or it was over between us. Now you are calling me stupid for doing what you demanded!" Fitz stopped and turned around to face her.

"Just because I asked you to stop seeing her did not mean you should not keep an eye on what she is doing. You are the FBI agent for god's sake!" Olivia shouted.

"…Who is in love with a psycho! Now leave me the hell alone!" Fitz walked away with Olivia trailing behind her until he slammed the guest bedroom's door in her face.

"Fitz! Fitz! Open this damn door! We are _not_ finished with this conversation," Olivia screamed banging on the door. "Fitz! Fitz! I am sorry. Come on. We should talk about this! Who is running now?"

Olivia waited by the door, but he would not open it. She had an overwhelming urge to flee. She had many places she could go, Tim's, Huck's or Quinn's apartments. She could also go to her parents in New Jersey. The only place she really wanted to be was on the other side of the door with him. She walked away from the door and back into their bedroom. She crawled under the covers of their bed. Olivia heard the door to the other bedroom open and relief flooded her because she knew he was coming to bed. When the hall bathroom door closed and the pipes rumbled, she knew he was taking a shower. She thought about joining him, but she felt that he should be the one to return since he was the one who left their bed. Olivia tried to pretend like she was asleep when the water stopped and the door closed. She realized sadly that he had returned to the guest room. That only made her upset and restless. _How dare he!_

She picked up her cell phone and texted Tim.

**Olivia: Whatcha' doin' bro?**

When he did not respond. She sent another one.

**Olivia: Timmy, you sleep?**

**Olivia: Timmy?**

Olivia was startled when her phone rang. It was Tim.

"Why are you calling me at 12 at night, Liv? What is wrong?" Tim said sleepily into the phone.

"I am checking on you. How is Helen Tate? Did you have lunch with her today?"

"Liv, what the hell is wrong with you? I am trying to get some sleep. You had an argument with Grant, didn't you?" Tim asked.

"No. He is asleep. Stop trying to be a know it all," Olivia muttered.

"You had an argument and by the sound of your voice. He will not talk to you. I do not want to know the details. I know he is justified whatever it is. For once he did not give in to you. You are so spoiled, sweetie. Get some sleep," Tim said.

"Timmy, I may have been in the wrong a little, but he will not even talk to me about it. I have a mind to just leave. What do you think about that?"

"Sweetie, do you want to leave?" he asked. She sounded so sad.

"No."

"Just close your eyes. He will not be able to stay away long okay. And please do not call me again tonight. Goodnight."

"Bye Timmy."

Olivia rolled over and looked at the clock. She watched the time pass, 15, 30, 45, and finally 60 minutes. She began to miss him, which she thought was idiotic since he was in the next room. Her eyes drifted close and she thought about what she would do if he broke it off with her in the morning. The thought made her slightly despondent. She began to cry silently against her pillow. Totally absorbed in her own despondency, she did not hear the knob turning or the door opening. Fitz laid down behind her and wrapped his arms and legs around her.

"Livy." He turned her over so he could see her face. "I love you. And I will not lose you. When you do things like that, it puts you in jeopardy. Promise me that you will at least talk to me before you decide to do anything risky like that. Please do not do anything else illegal."

Olivia nodded her head.

"Repeat after me, Livy. I will not do anything illegal."

"I will not do anything illegal," she parroted back, sniffling.

He was not done. "Or ask Huck or Quinn to do anything illegal."

"Or ask Huck or Quinn to do anything illegal."

"I will look into the Mellie situation. I can handle her," Fitz said.

"Okay," she said softly. "I am sorry, Fitz. I understand your concern. I do not want to lose you either."

"You will not lose me. Now is there anything else you want to discuss?"

"No."

"Tim will be cursing me out for being late in the morning. We have wasted 3 hours of loving time on this argument. I plan to make it all up now," Fitz announced settling on top of her and leaning own for a kiss.

* * *

"Mellie, thanks for meeting me on such short notice," Fitz said. He sat across from Mellie at the Russian Tea Room for lunch. Late that morning when he and Tim were on the way to work, he had shared Olivia's surveillance of Mellie with Tim. They had decided that it was a good idea for him to set up a lunch meeting with her. Tim had not told Fitz about Olivia's call that night. He did not curse Fitz out about being late either. He realized why they had argued and decided to give him a reprieve.

He sat across from Mellie who sounded almost giddy when he had phoned her at work to set up a lunch meeting.

She reached out and touched his hand. "Fitz, I was happy you called."

He wanted to pull his hand back, but he could not afford to anger her or give her cousin, Joline a reason to suspect that he was disgusted with Mellie. When he had done his normal sweep of the building, he spotted Joline easily. She was crouched behind a menu in a booth to his right. Those untrained in surveillance usually stood out the most when they were trying to look inconspicuous. They might as well wear a neon sign that reads, "Look at me!"

Fitz was unclear why Joline was helping Mellie. They had never been close in the seven years he had known Mellie. In fact she looked down on Joline.

"How have you been?" He asked.

"You know work. It never stops. I've been in court mostly. I appreciate you asking, Fitz. And you?"

Fitz did not answer immediately. He could not tell her the truth. He was like a blind man who could now see or a thirsty man who was now drinking from tall glass of water. He could not say that he was thankful he had dodged a bullet by not marrying her.

"I have been busy at work also. I was expecting a call from your parents, especially your dad. Should I call him? I would like to apologize for all this." Fitz threw that bait out there, waiting for her response.

"They are terribly sad. I do not think you should call them just yet," Mellie responded hastily.

"Are you sure? I could call them now. We could talk to them together." Fitz reached for his phone, but Mellie pushed it away.

"No, Fitz! Do not! I do not think they could take hearing from you right now." Mellie said a little too loudly.

"Okay. Can I reimburse you for any expenses from the wedding? There must be some cancellation fees. I can write you a check, Mellie."

"No. It has all been taken care of. I was able to work out a deal with the vendors. They are not charging any fees," Mellie explained.

"How about lost deposits. Just give me a number. The florist, the bakery, the reception hall?" Fitz kept pushing.

"No do not worry about it." Mellie smiled at him. She was dressed to impress him. Her outfit was tasteful but it revealed all the right amount of skin, a little cleavage, and thigh. Fitz was not moved, but he looked so that Joline and Mellie would take notice.

"You look nice today, Mellie."

"Thank you." She leaned forward, revealing more cleavage.

"You are a beautiful woman," Fitz said taking her hands in his "You are accomplished, well connected, and cultured. Any man would be lucky to have you. That man is coming, Mellie. It is just not me. You need someone who adores you…is passionate about you. I cannot give you those things. Canceling the wedding was difficult, but I know it was the right thing to do. Let us part quietly, Mellie. I think that we can honor all the years we were together, but not if we refuse to move forward. Let us move forward and give each other our blessing." Fitz hoped he sounded sincere.

"What makes you think I am not moving forward?" Mellie said. Her eyes fluttered from his to Joline who looked away quickly.

"You have not cancelled any of the vendors or wedding plans. You have your cousin following me around," Fitz said looking directly at Joline who sunk lower in her seat.

Mellie did not say a word. Her expression changed from pleasant to cold. "So this is what this lunch is about? You are confronting me?"

"Mellie, I meant every word. I want you to move on," Fitz said earnestly.

"That would make it really convenient for you. You could just discard me and move on with whomever you are trying to keep a secret. I know you are screwing someone else Fitz. Why won't you tell me who it is? You owe me that. Who is she?"

Fitz was beginning to think this was not a good idea. "This is not about anyone but you and me. We do not fit. We do not work."

"How can you say that? Seven years we were together. What we have is real, Fitz. Break this spell that has been cast on you. If you just tell me who she is, I can make it plain for you. You are just blinded by sex. I love you. She could never love you the way I do."

"If you love me then let me go. Cancel the wedding plans, and move on. Stop sending Joline to spy on me. Come on, Mellie. You know I would find out about this. Leave it alone."

Mellie stood up from the table. "I will not rest until I uncover who this bitch is, Fitz. You cannot to this to me without consequences."

"Is that a threat, Mellie?" Fitz asked.

Mellie, bent low so that her face was inches from his. "It is a promise, Fitz. There will be consequences." She walked away with Joline following behind her.

* * *

Huck settled in front of the TV with Quinn at his side. He never would have imagined they would get together. Maybe it was the long hours they spent together, hanging out at Liv's place, watching Mellie, or practicing her wrestling skills. The wrestling was the most fun, Huck thought.

"We forgot the beer. I'll get it," Quinn said, placing a kiss on his cheek.

Olivia was the only person he could tell about Quinn, but he had not gotten up enough nerve to tell her. He knew she would overreact so he thought he would keep it a secret a little while longer. Besides there was enough going on in her life at the moment.

"Hello," he said, answering the call of the unknown number that appeared on his cell phone.

There was silence.

"Hello. Hello. Okay, I am hanging up now."

"Huck. It is me, Abby. You have to help me. I want to come back home," a small voice said.

Huck looked up at Quinn when she entered the room.

"Who is it?" Quinn asked.

* * *

"I want to know everything about her. What she does…who she sees…what she wears…what she eats…how many ways can I tell you to give me everything. No detail is too trivial. Do you understand?" she said to the man. "My client is paying an exorbitant amount for this service. The client should get what the client is paying for. I expect to be able to give my client a daily report. Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am. I will get to work," he said.


	8. On the Trail

**Chapter 8**

**On the Trail**

* * *

"What is your endgame in all this? When you find out who Fitz is seeing…if he is seeing anyone…what are you going to do? He's cancelled the engagement. Do you think there is a chance he will change his mind? Are you out for revenge or do you want him back?" Joline questioned before popping a red grape in her mouth. She was never without a snack.

"What do you mean _if_ he is seeing someone? We have already established that he is sleeping—" Mellie started, looking up from her laptop.

"We have not established anything. He has not admitted to it," Joline said, "and there is no hard evidence. But what are you going to do when you find out?"

"What exactly do you do at the public library?" Mellie said, closing her laptop. She walked around her desk and perched on the edge of it between her nameplate that read, _Millicent F. Vanderbilt, District Attorney_ and a portrait of her with Fitz taken three years ago.

"I design and manage the educational programs, why?" Joline said.

"Would you be interested in supplementing what I imagine is a very meager salary by helping me?" She crossed her arms and waited confidently.

"What are you proposing? I barely make forty-five thousand dollars a year…a pauper by New York City standards. That is why I bartend on the side. Let me guess. You want me to find out who your ex is sleeping with, right? How am I supposed to do that? I am a lowly librarian whose closest stint at spying was sniffing out the kid who was lifting our mechanical pencils. Fitz knows I have been watching him and unless he is having an affair with the black guy in the wheelchair, this will be a waste of time. Not that I have a social life since I broke up with Rick. I could not get with the motorcycles—"

"Joline! Shut up and listen, okay?" She leaned back on the desk, picked up a white envelope, and extended it to Joline.

Joline took the envelope cautiously. "Go ahead, Joli, open it."

Joline shifted an eye to Mellie and then to the envelope. She opened it slowly and then removed each of the three items, and lining them up on her lap.

"Two receipts and an address scribbled on a scratch piece of paper?"

"Yes. I found these in Fitz's jeans pocket before he moved out. The receipts are dated for two of the days he was away. Look at the locations on the receipts and the address," Mellie said as she walked back to her desk and reopened her laptop.

"A receipt for Franklin's Ice Cream and Malt Shop in Princeton, NJ, and a receipt for a Chevron station in New Brunswick, NJ and the address, 2316 Albion Lane Princeton, NJ 08540…so…Fitz was in Princeton on assignment. He got a hankering for something sweet so he bought a small pistachio milkshake. He needed gas. This address could be for—"

"Stop trying to explain it all away. When he is on jobs for the Bureau, he never uses his personal credit card," Mellie said impatiently. "I know Fitz. He would _not_ order a _pistachio_ milkshake. He always gets a large vanilla and chocolate shake. I need you to connect the dots, Joline. I would do it myself, but I am working on this elder abuse case that is taking up all my time. Take two weeks off work and I'll pay you for your time and expenses. You'll have access to my skiptracers."

"You are really serious about this, aren't you? I would not want to be in Fitz's shoes right now. You say you know him like a book, but he definitely does not know you," Joline said.

"Stop sounding sorry for him. He is the one who betrayed me, but you are right, Joli, he obliviously does not know who he is fucking with," Mellie said before looking back at her laptop screen. Joline wished she knew what Mellie was planning, but she knew she would find out in due time.

* * *

"Liv, please do not plan one of your extreme parties for me this year. If you do, I will disown you," Timothy said, not looking up from his phone. He texted frantically, his thumbs rising and falling.

After another miraculous visitation of movement in his lower body, he began to accept the fact that parts of his body were waking up. One day, he was in the break room warming his lunch. Helen's boyfriend whom Timothy loathed was with him popping off at the mouth. He had a penchant for making disparaging comments about, well everyone. On this particular day, Tim had endured enough.

"_So Tim, is everything down there paralyzed, I mean, can you get it up, if you know what I mean? Man, if I my junk wasn't operational, there would be no reason for living, especially when there are women out there like Helen who need to be handled, whew!" Ron said._

"_Ron, man," Tim said whispering and looking around conspiratorially. "You have not heard of the paralysis bump?"_

"_No, what is that?" Ron asked totally focused on Tim now._

"_Well you know when people lose one sense, their others are heightened…for instance if you lose your ability to see, your hearing gets better?" Tim explained. "Ron, I cannot move my legs, but dude, I may as well have a third damn leg because when it rises…it rises…it not only gets hard but it grows almost as big as…let us just say I could use three legged pants."_

"_Tim, You Are Lying! Oh, Damn! I did not know being handicapped had its privileges. There goes my phone. I have to get back for a meeting. I will catch you later," Ron said chuckling and slapping Tim on the shoulder. _

Tim didn't like Ron, less because of his comments, but more because Helen was dating him. Without thinking, Tim lifted his leg, which made contact with Ron's leg, causing him to trip and take a dive. Ron tried to catch himself before he fell. His arm reached out to grab the table in the middle of the room. All that could be heard was a grunt, a crack, and a curse as Ron fell like a tree on the break room floor. Tim was shocked as he looked from Ron's writhing body on the floor and his right leg. It was bent at his ankle and frozen in space. He flexed it again and felt a spasm slice up his leg.

After that experience last month, he had discussed both incidences with his physical therapist, but not his doctor. He still held resentment and animosity at the medical profession in general for his misdiagnosis years ago. Since he was intent on not talking to his doctor, his therapist suggested that he spend time out of the chair to strengthen his muscles, especially those needed to hold him up in a non-wheel-chair.

Olivia walked up behind Tim where he sat at the head of the dinner table in a regular chair. "Who are you texting?" she said. She snatched phone from his hands and read aloud, 'Sitting here at a boring dinner thinking about you…' Tim! Who. Is. This? Do you have a girlfriend? Who is she?" Olivia beamed and her excitement was catching on. Quinn and Huck smiled. Fitz, who stood at the counter tossing a garden salad, chuckled at Olivia's excitement. It was reminiscent of the time she was carried away at Tim's use of his arms. Carefree times like this were rare with Olivia so he was captivated.

"Liv, give me the damn phone…Fitz would you get her?" Tim said.

"It _is_ Helen Tate! I knew it," Olivia said. She placed Tim's phone down on the table and walked over to Fitz. "Fitz, did you know about this? Don't even answer that. I know you knew about it and did not breathe a word to me!"

"I plead the fifth on this one babe," Fitz said carrying the lasagna to the table. Olivia carried the salad and bread.

"Why am I becoming the last one to know everything? First Huck and Quinn keep their relationship a secret from me and now this?" Olivia frowned.

"Probably because you make such a big deal about everyone else's love life. Yes, Liv, Helen and I are hanging out...nothing more…nothing less. It is not serious. It turns out that we have a some things in common," Tim said.

"So she is as much of a geek as you are? It is a match made in heaven," said Olivia.

"What were you talking about earlier, Tim? You said you did not want Olivia to plan a party for you. What is the occasion?" Quinn said.

"Before you answer, let us pray. There are so many things to be thankful for today, my Romeo of a brother will do the honors," Olivia requested sweetly.

"We are praying now? Mom and dad will be happy to hear this. Okay. Bow your heads. God is great. God is good. We thank you for the food we are about to receive in Jesus' name. Amen," Tim said.

"Next Thursday is Timmy's birthday. I host a party for him _every_ year. Since the accident and my…umm…occupation, the guests are mostly a handful, for obvious reasons, of friends of mom's and dads' but we always have a great time. Right Timmy?"

"Imagine how a dog feels when his owner dresses it up for Halloween? That about sums up how I feel at one of these parties. Olivia comes up with a corny theme and decorates the house. It always looks like the party store has thrown up all over the house. This year I request a small dinner with only the people gathered here and mom and dad of course," said Tim.

"That's right. Her parties are high definition," said Huck.

"Circumstances prevent us from having anything large scale, Livy," Fitz said passing the bread to Huck.

"No, babe. I have the perfect cover. I have had nothing but time to think about this. We will have a masquerade party this year. I have wanted to meet Helen for the longest time even before this great news today. Now I can meet her and some of your other friends at the Bureau," Olivia said.

Fitz reached for Olivia's hand and squeezed. "Livy, I am saying, no. Inviting federal agents around you and Huck would be just asking for trouble."

"No? You have not heard my idea in full. This will be a masquerade party with a strict mask only policy. We will have it in that large room upstairs so no one will be able to come into our individual apartments," Olivia said.

"So how are you going to be presented in relation to Tim and me?" Fitz said. He was humoring her because he was not convinced.

"I can be introduced as a friend of Tim's. You should be a guest just like everyone else. We can pretend like we are just meeting each other for the first time. Fitz? Timmy? You owe me this party. Aside from following Mellie, I have been good and stayed out of trouble, that won't last for long. We can talk about that later," Olivia said.

"What do you all think about this?" Fitz asked, looking around the table.

Olivia forked a serving of salad into her mouth and waited.

"Seems doable to me. If everyone will be masked, I do not see the harm in it," said Quinn. She took a sip of wine and winked at Olivia.

"We should control the guest list. I could watch the door and make sure no one enters that was not invited," said Huck.

"Tim, what do you think?" Fitz asked.

"I think my sister gets her way entirely too much," he Tim. His head was bowed over his phone, and he resumed texting.

After dinner was done, Huck found Olivia outside on the fire escape. She was looking out over the city. Her face held a wistful expression.

"I know that look Liv. What is wrong?" Huck asked.

Olivia turned to face him. "I had the same feeling, Huck?"

Huck did not say a word, but Olivia answered. She was experienced in reading his expressions.

"Tonight, when I found out about Tim and Helen, I felt pure joy and contentment. It was the same feeling I had that night at the bar when we were in college. That night, Timmy was entertaining everyone as usual. We were laughing and being complete idiots. In that moment I was complete…everything was perfect. Within an hour it was all taken away with the accident. I am scared because I felt like that tonight, Huck. Everything seems so perfect. I know it is not totally perfect. We are practically in hiding, but seeing all the progress Tim has made…having Fitz…which was a complete surprise. I am afraid of losing it all again, Huck," Olivia explained.

"Enjoy it Olivia. You deserve it," Huck said pulling her into a hug. He had sought Olivia out to discuss Abby's phone call, but he knew that now was not the time.

Later that night sitting at the kitchen table in front of his laptop, Fitz was very conflicted about the masquerade party. It seemed innocent enough and even doable like Quinn said, but he knew it was not a good idea.

"Fitz, baby, why are you in here siting in the dark? Put that laptop away and come to bed," Olivia said before a yawn.

"I'll be there soon," he said

Fitz began replying to a new e-mail from Cyrus. He saw a black painted fingernail appear on the top right hand corner of his keyboard, depress, and hold down the power button. He realized that Olivia was shutting down his computer.

"I guess this day was bound to come," Olivia said. She swung her leg over his lap, situating herself between him and the table. It was a tight fit.

"What day is that?" he asked, looking up at her while untying her robe.

"The day when my mere mention of bed did not give you an erection," she said. "I understand that this was bound to happen given your advanced age.

Fitz chuckled as he rubbed his hands over her body.

"Is something funny, Fitz?"

"Livy, Livy, Livy, you are so predictable. You are horny as hell tonight. You want it hard and fast. I know this because that little comment about my age is designed to whip me up into a frenzy to prove my virility to you. Baby, I have nothing to prove, but you are going to pay for that comment and for turning off my computer. It will be hard and achingly slow. I am going to make you beg," Fitz said. He rose from his chair and threw her over his shoulder. "I need some ice, the handcuffs, and a blindfold."

"Fitz, I was just joking…not the ice," Olivia said shivering as she remembered the last time he used ice.

* * *

"Did you talk with Olivia about Abby?" Quinn said. She and Huck were at her apartment in bed.

"No. It was not a good idea tonight. I will see her about it tomorrow," said Huck.

"Do you think Olivia will help Abby come back to the states? Should she after all that has happened? I guess Fitz would figure in the equation too. It is not just up to her," Quinn said, thoughtfully.

"I do not know. She sounded miserable over the phone," said Huck.

"She made her choice, Huck."

"I know you are right, but it is not as simple as that. She sounded sad and scared. I wonder what Harrison is up to?"

Quinn got on top of him. "I do not want to talk about Abby anymore tonight. Now kiss me."

Huck smiled and obeyed.

* * *

Today was a workday for Joline except that she was working for Mellie and not for the New York Public Library. She had researched the address Fitz had scribbled on the paper. The residence belonged to Lionel and Charlise Pope. Since that information meant nothing to Mellie, Joline decided to pay a visit to the house. She had to admit, she liked this type of work, the research, strategy, and planning. Unfortunately, she did not like spying on Fitz. He had been nice to her whenever a family gathering put them in the same vicinity. Mellie had been the indifferent, cold, and dismissive one. Joline had no doubt that she was getting close to connecting the dots to explain Fitz's sudden change of heart. But for Joline, the old adage held true, blood was thicker than water and Mellie's attitude towards her had improved dramatically.

Joline was drawn out of her thoughts by the white car that pulled out of the same driveway she was planning to turn into. Joline was unsure if the car held the Pope's, but she felt that she should keep following the car. She promised to come back to the house later.

The car did not go far. After about 5 minutes, it turned into the parking lot of Franklin's Ice Cream and Malt shop. Joline smiled because she was sure she had found her couple. She did not get too close to them. She looked at the receipt and confirmed that this was the address on one of Fitz's receipts. An African American man in his mid to late 60s exited the car first. He bounced around the car and opened the passenger car door. Out stepped a woman about the same age as the man. Joline was heartened as she saw them hold hands and walk into the shop. After an acceptable time, Joline entered the shop and sat in a booth behind them. She ordered a small pistachio milk shake just for the hell of it. She strained her ears hoping to hear their conversation.

They talked about current events, a movie they had seen, and plans to redo their kitchen. Joline was amazed at how much they had to talk about. She had yet to find a man who she could talk to like that. _They must really be in love to have that much to talk about after what looked like a long time together, _she thought.

Joline's ears perked up as the conversation became more interesting.

"She has outdone herself this time. A masquerade party? I cannot believe Tim agreed to this," said Lionel.

"Why not? They tease each other like kids, but you know Tim would do anything for his big sister. Olivia is no different. We need to find our costumes today. And come up with our code names. It is ridiculous that we cannot use our own names. Liv is taking this a little far, but that is our Liv," said Charlise.

"It will be fun. Do you think Harrison and Olivia will be tying the knot anytime soon?" Lionel said.

"You mean Fitz, honey. He prefers to be called Fitz," Charlise corrected. "They have been together three years already. It is only a matter of time. They obviously love each other," Charlise said. "It will happen soon.

By the time Joline left she had enough information to skip the return to the Pope estate. As she drove back to New York she began to construct a loose theory. Fitz was involved with someone named Olivia and had been for the last three years. These were her parents. Tim was her brother and possibly the guy in the wheelchair Joline had seen with Fitz. They were having a masquerade party for Tim for some reason. Fitz had not been on a job, but visiting his girlfriend. _ Wow! what an asshole! He has been cheating for three years or more. _Joline knew that this information was going to hurt Mellie, but she felt that Fitz was the one who deserved her sorrow. Mellie was not going to be happy about this news and was going to want revenge.

* * *

"Thanks for your diligence in getting me the surveillance on Olivia Pope," the woman said to the man. "My client is very pleased."

"I am glad," he said.

"The client wants you to continue, but there is more the clients wants," the lady said.

"What is that?" he asked.

"It seems that Ms. Pope has amassed an extensive collection of art from her spoils over the years. It is stored in an underground warehouse. I will send you the address of the location as well as the code to access it. The client does not want the art touched. You only need to confirm that it is still there. Are their any questions?" she asked.

"No, I completely understand," he said.

"Great," she said. "My client will be very pleased."


End file.
